Kids With Swords
by Yung Warrior
Summary: A silly and slightly cracky retelling of GX where the dueling decks of Yu-Gi-Oh are replaced by the Zanpakuto of Bleach. Follow Jaden and his friends as they fight against fiendish foes, chase their dreams, and forge bonds to last a lifetime on their wild adventures at Duel Academy.
1. INTRO TO PASSION

_Nothing's gonna change my world. _

It was another beautiful day in the city of Domino. As it was a Saturday, the citizens of the city were out and about, enjoying the summer weather. There were cyclists, picnickers, and runners. None could stand in the way of the unstoppable force known as Jaden Yuki.

Jaden was a scruffy-looking, lithe young teenager with ginger-brown hair that made him stand out in a crowd. He wore grey gym shorts with a red sweatshirt that had the words "Domino State University" on the front in white lettering.

Clenched between his teeth was a buttered piece of toast. He wore a backpack almost as large as his entire torso. He catapulted over a bench, in a dead sprint towards the largest building in the city.

"Damn, I'm late! This is what happens when you schedule entrance exams at 11:AM! How I am supposed to possibly get up that early!"

Jaden ran behind some schlub on a bicycle that was going way too slow. "Get out of my way!" Jaden shoved the poor cyclist into a shrub before stealing his bike. "Sorry pal, but my need is far greater than yours at the moment!" Jaden began pedaling as fast as the bike would go, not wanting to be around when the cyclist disengaged himself from the bush.

As he whipped by the disgusted citizens, Jaden caught sight of a very distinctive haircut sporting red, purple, yellow, and black locks. Jaden rushed by before he could register whom it was. If he saw who it was, Jaden most certainly would have talked to him, but the necessity of the moment outweighed rational thought. Yugi Moto, the King of Games, eyed the ginger-haired kid with disdain. "What a ruffian." Yugi said, continuing on his way.

The Kaiba Corp building stood proudly over the comparatively small Domino City. Here was where the annual admission exams to the prestigious Duel Academy took place. Duel Academy was one of the best boarding schools in the entire world, but that was not why it was famous. Duel Academy took in children with latent fighting potential, and developed that potential into raw perfection. This potential manifests itself as a "Zanpakuto"- a sword that represents the inner strength of the user. Children who had the power of the Zanpakuto were taught to use their power for good, and to form bonds that would last them a lifetime. That was the vision of Seto Kaiba, the school's founder. When Jaden showed the potential to become a duelist, his parents weaned him in the martial arts, so he may become a powerful fighter.

The building was normally used for business purposes only, but today, the ground floor was arranged into a makeshift arena, with several lots outlined. In these lots, the students would take on a proctor to show off their skills. On the floor above the lots were sets of bleachers, where the students would wait to be called on for their exam. In one of these lots, a proctor wearing a blue trench coat and tinted sunglasses was testing a potential student.

This student gave a off a different impression to the proctor than the other students he tested that day. The student had an unmistakable air of control. From his stony expression to his stiff posture, the student's intensity immediately caught the proctor's eye. It also made an impression on the ragtag crowd of students in the bleachers. A black-haired boy wearing a baggy blue T-shirt and jeans sneered down upon this new challenger. Above the bleachers, two mature-looking students who appeared to be a couple gazed down at the would-be student, although not with the same sneer. The blue-haired male of the couple had his arms crossed, while his blonde-haired compatriot leaned on the railing. "He looks like he needs to get laid." The girl said. "I'll say. Hopefully not by you though." The male said. "Eh, not my type. Look at how seriously he takes himself. You two would be like peas in a pod." The girl playfully teased. In the arena, the proctor lowered into a combat stance.

"Alright, you are applicant number 1, Bastion Misawa, correct?" Misawa nodded. "I will declare a victory or defeat, depending on how well you attack me." The proctor droned. Misawa slowly drew a broadsword from its hilt, rigidly holding it in front of him.

"Begin-" No sooner had the proctor drew his own sword and gave the go-ahead that he had to defend himself from the boy's strike. An electric flash of light generated in Misawa's hand, lighting up the area. "**Bakudo #30, Shitotsu Sansen**." Misawa drew a triangle with the yellow energy. At the points of the triangle, three smaller rods formed, and launched at the proctor. The proctor swiftly dodged the rods, only to barely block Misawa's sword strike. Misawa struck using as little movement as possible, going straight for the kill. The proctor was quickly pushed back into the wall. As their blades locked, Misawa took one hand off of the blade. **"Hado #4, Byakurai."** A flash of white light flowed from Misawa's fingers, piercing the Proctor and breaking the wall behind them. The proctor clutched his wound in pain. Misawa quickly grabbed the proctor's zanpakuto and pointed it at his throat. "Victory.", the proctor croaked out. The boy's severe expression quickly settled into a dry, neutral countenance. "Thank you, sir." He then left the arena.

The black-haired boy's eyes darkened when he saw how easily Misawa won his fight. Two oafish-looking goons sitting on either side of the gothic boy looked at him. "Hey, he was pretty good! He could be a good challenge, Chazz." Chazz snorted. "Who cares? He hasn't shown anything yet."

"He seems incredibly powerful, to defeat a proctor so quickly." The blonde-haired girl observed. "Indeed. He didn't even have to release his Zanpakuto. Seems like a smart kid."

Jaden launched over a staircase, coming to a stop right in front of the admissions desk. The employees were packing up their forms, confident that no student would be so foolish as to arrive so late to the exam. The two women at the desk gave a Jaden a look that could kill. "Hello there, ladies! I trust this is where we sign up for the exam!" Jaden unabashedly flirted with the women. "Well, it's… 10:58. So I guess you can still sign up, asshole." One of the put-upon women snarled. Jaden blithely signed his name and walked into the building.

Above the arena and bleachers, The faculty of Duel Academy surveyed the new students joining their ranks. "Alright, let's pack it up, kids! My makeup is beginning to chip off, and I didn't bring any reserves!" A teacher whose appearance could only be described as being similar to a drag queen's stood up. The rest of the staff stood up and stretched their legs as well. A proctor hurried into the room and strode over to the drag-queen looking dude. "What do you want, servant?!" The proctor gulped. "Professor Crowler, sir, we have another applicant. Some punk named Jaden Yuki." The proctor nervously fidgeted. "Well, kick him out! He's late, and he will have to try again next year!" Crowler shrieked at the proctor. "Actually, he was on time. Came in at 10:58. Let me test him real quick, sir." The proctor desperately bargained.

The whole room went deathly silent. Crowler was enraged beyond belief. "I will take care of this upstart myself. He will pay the price for delaying us!" Crowler roared. "Sir, this will only take like five minutes, especially if you fight him yourself." The proctor pointed out. Crowler slapped the poor man so hard, he flipped over the nearby desk. Crowler stormed out of the room. The other teachers, holding their amusement in, immediately began laughing at Crowler's theatrics the moment he left the room.

Jaden strode into the duel hall, his confidence palpable. He gazed around the room blankly, not sure what to do. Suddenly, Professor Crowler entered the arena, holding a gigantic blade. It was held on Crowler's back. It was curved with a purple edge, and almost as big as a guitar. "Good day, applicant! I am Professor Crowler, and I am here to test you!" He announced with as much ham as he could muster. Jaden snickered for a second, then openly laughed. "And what are you a professor of? How to Look like a Gay Clown 101? Where do I sign up for that class?" Jaden's audacity shocked the audience.

"He's a mouthy one." The blonde noticed. "Indeed. Crowler must really want to take this kid out if he's fighting himself." The tall boy narrowed his slate blue eyes.

Misawa calmly walked up to the bleachers and sat down. As he reclined, he noticed a small, blue-haired boy shaking in trepidation. "What are you so nervous about? You look like you're about to leave a mess on the floor." Bastion joked. "It's Jaden!" "Who's that?" "It's that kid down there who's fighting Crowler. I talked with him a bit before he was called down, and he has no idea what he's getting into!". Bastion admired the kid's loyalty to this Jaden character, but the probability of beating Crowler in a one-on-one match would not be good odds for him. "We'll see. What's your name, son?" "Syrus Truesdale."

Several veins popped in Crowler's head; such a creature like the one who stood before him could not exist. He slowly drew the Zanpakuto, a shiny katana, on his back, which he then carried with one arm. Jaden's laughter died down, transforming into wariness. "You fool. You will now know the difference in strength between us. I will wipe you off the face of the earth with one strike." Crowler's voice was quiet and hissing. "Dude, I thought this was just an entrance exam, not a fight to the death." Jaden snarked.

**"Tatakai no tame, Tetsuogoremu.**" (Brace for battle, Iron Golem). Crowler released his sword. A flood of spiritual pressure emerged, clouding the arena in an explosion of smoke. Jaden quickly ran from the burst of power. When the dust cleared, Crowler's sword completely disappeared, and there was no outward change in his appearance. "What just happened?" Jaden wondered. Crowler smirked. "You don't realize? I just used my Zanpakuto, Tetsuogoremu's, power. This is what is known as Shikai, a zanpakuto's first release." Crowler growled.

"Did you just see that, Zane?" The blonde girl said. Zane frowned. "I can't believe Crowler is using his shikai against a runt like that. It's unbecoming. But it is within the rules. You are too soft, Alexis." Zane said coldly. Chazz smiled wickedly. "Take him down, professor."

"It's unsurprising that a novice like yourself would not know what shikai is. You probably do not even know your Zanpakuto's name." Crowler then threw a punch. Suddenly, a giant phantom arm appeared in midair, aimed straight at Jaden. Jaden rolled out of the way. He quickly dropped his backpack to the ground and unzipped it. Crowler made a stamping motion with his foot, causing a large phantom foot to come down on Jaden. "He's done!" Syrus squealed. "There's no way he could survive that! He'll be squished like a pancake!" Alexis said, feeling oddly sad for the boisterous boy. "Say goodbye, dropout!" Crowler laughed. Suddenly, the foot's progress was stopped. Crowler applied more force, but the foot was getting pushed back up. As it rose, everyone saw that Jaden had blocked the heel using his own Zanpakuto.

"I'm no dropout. I'm gonna prove that I can hang with the best of 'em. And that starts right here, right here. Bow down to the Supreme King, baby!" Jaden shoved the foot off of his sword. The sword was a regular katana with a red hilt. "Is shikai just knowing your Zanpakuto's name?" Jaden asked cutely. Crowler managed out a "yes". "In that case, I think I might have one. My dad taught me a few tricks he learned back in his day. **Daishi no Yosu, Eiyu no Hoshi.** (Bring the four elements, hero of the stars)." Everyone in the stadium was shocked to learn that a mere dropout had learned the name of his Zanpakuto.

"This kid is full of surprises." In spite of this statement, Zane's expression did not change. "A shikai? Impossible!" Chazz fidgeted. "You OK, Chazz? You like you're about to make a mess all over the floor." One of his goons jibed. "Shut up!" Alexis gaped. "This guy's spiritual pressure is very strange. At one point, it's greater than mine, and at another, it's incredibly weak! It's like he has no control over his own power!"

Unlike Crowler's shikai, Jaden's did not release any outward effect, but it greatly increased his spiritual pressure all the same. Crowler immediately attacked Jaden again, without asking for any sort of explanation on what Jaden's Zanpakuto did. Crowler brought both hands together, intending to crush Jaden. Jaden slammed his palm against the ground, causing two rock walls to rise on either side of him. The clay stood up against Tetsuogoremu's hands. Crowler aimed his foot at Jaden, intending to kick the wind out of him. Jaden jumped. "That won't save you, fool!" Tetsuogoremu's foot was about to make contact with Jaden when Jaden suddenly swooped upwards, avoiding the blow entirely. Jaden slammed his palm forward. Crowler was momentarily confused, but that was short-lived as he was hit by a compact blast of wind, blowing him halfway across the arena.

The degrees of awe varied across the arena. Crowler slowly picked himself up from the hefty dose of punishment he had just received. "Not a bad power, huh? My sword lets me control the elements of fire, wind, water, and earth. I'm not very good at it yet, and that attack just took a lot of energy. But I've gotta be good enough for you pass me, right teach?" Jaden smiled, despite the strain his Zanpakuto's power was putting on him.

"As if I would pass you based on such a simple skill. You will have to do better than that, dropout." Crowler quickly threw out a sucker punch,  
Tetsuogoremu catching Jaden in the gut. Jaden began to fly across the arena, but decelerated by turning his head and blowing a wind current the opposite way from his mouth. The pressure of the technique ripped his Domino City University sweatshirt in half. Crowler continued the assault, Jaden barely dodging the giant attacks. Eventually, Crowler let up. Jaden ripped his tattered sweatshirt off, showing the black T-shirt he was wearing underneath.

Crowler and Jaden panted in exertion. "I wonder if this kid is really going to make me use my Bankai…" Crowler thought. Jaden clenched his fists. **"Eiyu no Hoshi: Streaking Comet!" **He began to yell with the exertion of his final technique. Jaden's body began to emit smoke and ozone, his muscles dangerously tightening with the strain. As sweat poured down his face, he smiled at Crowler. "Sorry, but I've gotta give it my all. How will I ever become a badass if I lose here?"

With that statement, Jaden's body erupted in powerful flames, flames that burned brightly with a spirit of reckless hedonism. These flames flickered with the violent, impulsive, and beautiful youth that formed Jaden's entire being. Even Crowler was momentarily taken aback by its sheer asthectics. Jaden flew at Crowler, red power trailing behind him. Tetsuogoremu raised an arm in protection, but Jaden easily broke through it. With one punch, Crowler fell to the ground, a burn mark imprinted on his arm. The battle was over with one blow. Jaden's fire burned out as quickly as it came. Although he was extremely fatigued, he was able to remain standing. He spat to his side. He then broke out in a grin that would disarm even the most stoic man. "This is gonna be a good year, I can tell!"

Evening had painted the city of Domino a soothing orange. The students that passed the exam had their bags packed, and were waiting to go aboard the private plane that would deliver them to Academy Island. The kids were sitting around on the helipad, talking about things like their backgrounds, their families, and the way Jaden beat up a teacher. Jaden leaned against a bunch of suitcases, enjoying a bottle of ice water. He was sitting with Syrus and Bastion, who were both impressed with Jaden's victory. They shared a few personal stories before it was time to depart. Before they knew it, they were laughing like old friends.

As the students boarded the plane, Chazz "accidently" shoved into Jaden. Jaden ignored him and settled down into a window seat near the back of the plane. Bastion decided to sit down next to him, taking out a book to read. Syrus sat in front of Jaden, constantly looking back at him, as though to make sure he really existed. Eventually, as the orange faded to black, the kids slept, an air of fellowship embracing the plane in a warm glow.

A/N

Hello, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the first chapter of Kids With Swords! Many of you sexy individuals may be wondering where such a ridiculous idea for a story came from. As a long-time fan of both Yu-Gi-Oh and superheroic comics and manga in general, I've always thought that the plots of the Yu-Gi-Oh series would be taken more seriously if one removed the blatant merchandising for the card game and kept the characters. Tell me what you think!

Thanks again for reading. This story is my primary Fanfiction project, and should be updated fairly frequently. See you later!


	2. CLASS WARFARE

_No one can give you freedom. If you are a man, you must take it._

Around 10:00 AM the next day, the students tumbled from the plane in a dazed, tired mess. Still in ratty street clothes, they were told to meet in the assembly hall for a greeting from the school's principal, Sheppard. They stood in the assembly hall, waiting for someone to show up.

Just as they were getting restless, a giant monitor on the wall flickered to life, showing a man in his early 50's smiling upon the new students. His salt-and-pepper beard combined with smile wrinkles around his eyes immediately made the students feel at ease.

"Greetings to you all! I am the principal of this academy, Dr. Sheppard. But what's more important is who you are. I see the potential in every one of you to become something great. It's up to you whether you realize that greatness waiting inside of you. Here, you will train both your body and mind, and develop into something the world has never seen."

The student's were slightly put off by his hammy speech. The serious gleam Sheppard's eye had suddenly disappeared. "But enough of that. It is time to show all to your dorms. Our proctors will escort you to your new homes for the next nine months. Make sure to show up for the welcome dinner we will be putting on for you all at 6 '0 clock sharp! Until then, explore and enjoy this beautiful island!". With that, the students went their separate ways.

Jaden and Syrus lazily strode on the walkway leading from the enormous school building. "Wow, this place sure is beautiful! I can't wait to check this scenery out!" Jaden smiled.

Syrus grunted with the exertion of carrying his suitcase. "Me too! But first, let's get to our dorms. The card I got says we're in Slifer Red. Damn, and that's all the way across the island! We're practically on the beach! Besides, this suitcase is heavy!" Syrus belly-ached.

Jaden shot him a sideways glare. "Quit your whining. My parents always talk about how nice it would be to have waterfront property, and we're getting it. And that suitcase can't be more than ten pounds, ya pansy." Jaden then took Syrus' suitcase along with his own. Syrus looked a Jaden for a second, then smiled.

The duo then bumped into Bastion, who was wearing a yellow blazer with similar yellow shoes and white slacks. "I'm surprised you gentlemen haven't changed into your uniforms yet. What dorm are you two in?" Bastion said smoothly. "Says here we're in Slifer Red. That's good right?" Syrus pleaded.

Bastion's face quickly flashed with disappointment and concern before returning to its dry, stoic mask. "Are you in Slifer Red too, bud?" Jaden snapped. "Well, genius, I'm wearing a yellow uniform, so I clearly must be in Slifer **RED**." Bastion snarked.

Jaden pursed his lips. "Point. Well, I guess we'll be seeing you around then, man. I hope you keep up training, and best of luck in your studies!" Jaden said. Bastion was put off by how unusually magnanimous Jaden was being, but appreciated it. "Absolutely. Best of luck in your training.".

After trekking for a mile, Jaden and Syrus arrived at the dorm, which was less of a dorm, and more of a tool shed. "Ah, that must be where they keep the groundskeeper's tools. Now then, do you see the dorm anywhere, Jaden?" Syrus said, blissfully unaware of the reality of the situation.

Jaden nervously laughed. "I think that might the dorm, Sy." Syrus laughed. "Good one. But really, we should find where our accommodations are." An awkward silence came, and passed. A solitary breeze blew tumbleweed by the tool shed. Tears began to flow down Syrus' innocent cheeks.

The duo slowly trudged up the rickety, rotted wooden steps. As Jaden attempted to open the door to their room, it fell off of its rusted hinges. The shades were drawn around the room, the solitary source of light coming in a harsh manner by the 30-inch TV with a video game on screen. against the wall. A roach feasted on the crust of a long-eaten pizza. Smoked blunts were scattered across the floor.

"You have to be joking. These conditions aren't suitable for a migrant factory worker, much less students of an extremely expensive boarding school! Where the hell have our parents tax dollars gone?!" Syrus ranted and raved, the tears streaming down. J

aden scrunched his nose. "Who exactly is our roommate? The guy's a slob. This place wouldn't be so bad if you took the effort to look after it." Suddenly a mass of cellulite shifted on the top of the bunk bed, scaring Jaden and Syrus. "Keep it down! Can't you see I'm trying to get some much-needed sleep!" He turned around and faced the duo.

Jaden and Syrus immediately began laughing, as this man looked like a Koala. Everything, from his hefty figure to his big red nose, made him look like a marsupial. "Hey, you must be our…roommate. I'm Jaden and this is Syrus. What's your name, fella?" Jaden said diplomatically. "The name's Chumley Huffington. Although there's not much point in remembering it. We're all gonna be shipped back home before long." The big man sighed in defeat.

"Why do you say that? It's only our first day here. Even Syrus is more confident than that!" Jaden said. Chumley snorted. "It's not my first day, let me tell you that. I've been held back. So I have to experience to back this statement; don't get your hopes up. You'll just fail in the end."

A fire sparked in Jaden's eyes. "Oh yeah, is that right? Just because you were held back, why should I give a shit? I'm gonna be the biggest badass here!" Jaden's voice rose with impassioned anger.

Chumley sneered. "Do you know what it means to be in Slifer Red? There are three dorms at Duel Academy. There's Obelisk Blue; a dorm with all the comforts of a five-star hotel. The kids there are there because of their unmatchable academic scores. Their fighters are some of the most powerful on the island, capable of challenging even professor-level opponents. They're all rich, entitled punks who have had everything handed to them-" "So what? I beat a professor too. They can't be that powerful." Jaden interjected.

Chumley took a deep breath, then moved on. "Then there's Ra Yellow. Ra Yellow kids are all-around average. There are some students who are really smart, but aren't very strong, and vice-versa. Then there's us. The dropouts. The failures. The barely-made-its." Chumley then slumped back into his pillow. "Get the picture?"

"That's kinda messed up; why not give the students equally comfortable accommodations? Instead we're getting segregated." Syrus muttered. Jaden's eyes hardened. "Like I care about what color jacket I'm wearing. I'm gonna be the biggest badass this school has ever seen, whether I'm red, yellow, or blue. This is no time to give up, Chumley! Our lives are just beginning!" Jaden was fired up. "Come on, let's check this school out, Sy. Chumley, get outta bed and walk around with us." Chumley had a strange look to him. He said nothing. Jaden ran out of patience. "Suit yourself. Let's go, Sy."

Jaden and Syrus ambled through the halls of the school, making idle small talk. Jaden's countenance seemed somewhat hung up, however. "Hey Jay, you're not upset about that Chumley guy, are you?" Syrus said with concern. "Nah. I wish he wouldn't try to drag us down with him, though. That guy needs a kick in the rear. But enough about that, how about a friendly spar, man? I'm interested in your Zanpakuto, and there's a training area right up ahead. " Jaden mumbled. Syrus suddenly grew shifty. "Sure, I'm up for a spar." Syrus worded his answer carefully.

The duo entered the duel area, surveying the impressive facility. Suddenly, a voice from the bleachers surrounding the ring sounded down to them. "Hey! What are you two doing?" Two young men wearing Obelisk Blue long coats snapped at the Slifer duo.

"We were just going to have a friendly match." Jaden spoke up at them. "Not here you aren't! This is the Obelisk Blue training facility! No Ra or Slifer kids allowed!" Syrus bit his lip. Jaden set his jaw in frustration. "So what? No else is using the place right now, so we're gonna. You have a problem?" He yelled.

"I know the perfect way to solve this." A rough, harsh voice sounded from the hallway. A rather short boy with ash-black hair and an Obelisk Blue long coat entered the room, sporting a sinister smirk. Jaden vaguely recognized him as the guy who shoved into him on the plane. "Boss!" The two Obelisk Blues seemed to recognize the boy as their superior.

"Hey, is it cool if we train here? We won't wreck the place too much." Jaden goofed. Chazz bared his teeth in a menacing leer. "You're the kid who beat Crowler right?" He said quickly. Jaden put his hand on his hilted Zanpakuto. "That's right." Chazz's empty grey eyes momentarily lit up. "Is that so? In that case, you're going to fight me right here, right now." Chazz whipped out his Zanpakuto, a black steel broadsword with a grey hilt. Jaden and Syrus scrambled back. "Woah! Why do we have to fight, man?" Jaden stammered. "There's no way a slacker like you could beat a professor that easily. I'm going to see if what happened at the exam was a fluke or not. Have I dumbed it down enough for you yet?" Jaden slowly drew his own sword. "Fine. You seem pretty strong. This is gonna be really fun!" Jaden's grin matched Chazz's, although it lacked the predatory malice that Chazz had.

The two boys' eyes were quickly attracted to a new presence in the arena. A tall, beautiful woman with long, dirty blonde hair looked upon the scene with a detached impassiveness. Chazz quickly sheathed his sword. "Hey there, Alexis. How's it going!?" His tone became a different sort of predatory. Alexis' porcelain face didn't change expression, but somehow gave a withering scowl all the same. "I'm supposed to find you and bring you to the dorm. The welcome dinner starts in 15 minutes." She forced out. Chazz smiled. "Ah, my mistake. I was merely showing this rookie how things are done around here, you see-" "Shut up. I don't care." Chazz audibly gulped, then regained his composure. "Very well. I'll see you at dinner, girl!" He smirked at her and Jaden before departing the premises with his goons.

Syrus unclenched his teeth. But as Chazz left, he felt a new source of tension in the room. The girl before them was clearly an Obelisk Blue. She was wearing a tight blue and white blouse with a short miniskirt that showed off her tantalizing legs. She had an intimidating beauty about her, one that begged a courageous man to challenge it. While she was talking to Chazz, Syrus felt a wave of ice-cold spiritual pressure wash over him. Her expression then changed from strict to somewhat friendly, albeit in a detached way nonetheless. "You two should get back to your dorms. Your welcome dinner starts soon as well."

Jaden felt challenged by both her beauty and her power. "Hey, why'd you chase that guy off? I was just about to kick his ass." She gave a polite laugh. "I'm sure you were. After all, you did beat Crowler. But really, you shouldn't mess around with Chazz. That guy is a whore for fights. Back in prep school, he was always getting in scraps with kids, even before he awakened his Zanpakuto." She pontificated.

Jaden stared at her breasts as she talked. "Your name is Jaden Yuki, right?" She asked. He smiled in a goofy way. "That's right, and this is my partner in crime, Syrus. I think you two would make a good couple!" He joked, obviously putting the moves on her. Syrus blushed like a Japanese schoolgirl. Alexis gave a genuine laugh at that remark.

"Well, Sy, let's get to the dinner! Sorry lady, we don't have time to talk any longer. Maybe you should give me your number, so we can continue this conversation later." His wheeling was unabashed at this point. She smiled. "Your game isn't bad, but you'll have to do better than that." She said politely, yet coldly. "I'll see you around, Jaden Yuki." With that, they departed to their respective dorms.

At the Obelisk Blue dorms, the students were enjoying a feast that cost thousands of dollars. Freshly caught crab, lobster, and prime rib were the main courses, along with buttery mashed potatoes, seasoned and garnished asparagus, and cocktail shrimp. Champagne and red wine sat in tubs of ice, cracked open by underage kids. The party had the air of a royal ball, with the sounds of clinking glasses and polite conversation.

At the Yellow Dorm, the meal was modest, yet plentiful all the same. The yellow students were eating jerk chicken, barbeque, scallops, and shrimp, along with some carrots and broccoli. They drank water and soda, although most of the kids smuggled in cheap beer. They all sat at long wooden tables, eating with plastic utensils. The conversations were somewhat rowdy, but had an air of friendliness to it.

The children of the red dorm stared at a tray of grocery store sushi and white rice, with paper cups of tepid water to drink. The kids sat in a crowded mess hall. The red kids yelled, ate loudly, and farted, also drinking cheap beer they bought from a guy at the Yellow dorm. Jaden and Chumley gobbled up their sodium-filled sushi, with Syrus picking at his food in despondent fashion.

Later that night, Jaden and Syrus sat in beanbag chairs, playing a friendly match of Street Fighter on Chumley's Xbox. "Thanks for being a bro and letting me play your game, Chumley!" Jaden hollered up at the portly chap. "No problem. Might as well be nice to people you're gonna be roommates with." Chumley grumbled. Earlier, Syrus had taken the liberty of cleaning the trash off of the ground and generally cleaning up the place. Now, one could enter the room without immediately wanting to throw up.

Right as Jaden landed a particularly difficult combo, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Cursing his luck, Jaden answered the phone. "Just so you know, I was right in the middle of kicking Syrus' ass and you interrupted. I hope you have a good reason." The voice on the other end of the line shocked Jaden. "Like I care. Don't think you're off the hook, Slifer. We will have our fight, unless you're too pussy and wanna back out." The raspy voice snarled. "Chazz! How the hell did you get my number?" Jaden inquired. "Our school has a directory. Do you not recall having to tell the administration your phone number?" Chazz quickly explained. "Anyway, meet me at the Obelisk arena at midnight." "I'll be there! I can't wait to see how strong you really are!" Jaden said with excitement.

Syrus set down his controller and looked at Jaden with concern. "Jaden, midnight is after our curfew. You don't wanna be in trouble, especially on our first day, do you? You can't just break the rules like that!" Syrus reasoned. Jaden smiled, then threw his head back and laughed. "Syrus, here's what you need to know about me. I do what I want. No matter what rules surround me, I am free. I will follow rules if I like them, but I just as easily won't. I don't like our curfew. I want to fight Chazz. Therefore, I will fight Chazz." Syrus' eyes widened. Chumley observed Jaden with great interest.

Jaden's eyes swam with visions of romantic adventure. "Syrus, you seem like someone who is confined by the circumstances around you. Don't you wanna come and turn the world upside down with me?" Jaden's smile was too much for Syrus to resist. "You're right. Besides, Chazz would give you way too much shit if you backed out." Syrus muttered. "Right! Chumley, I want you to come have some fun with us!" Jaden's voice was commanding. Chumley smiled. "You know how to give a speech, Yuki. But I'm not interested." Chumley then picked up a remote and turned the TV channel. Jaden smiled. "Alright, fine then." Jaden grabbed his Zanpakuto. "Syrus, do you have your sword with you?" Jaden turned around and asked. Syrus pulled out a short pocket knife with a blue-colored case. "Right here. It's easy to carry around."

The two friends ran across the wide-open lawn in sheer exhilaration. They finally reached the arena, quietly opening the door to the still-lit facility. They saw Chazz waiting in the ring, foot tapping in impatience. When he saw Jaden, a feral smirk played on his normally grim face. "Nice to see you showed up. For a second I was scared you would chicken out." "No way. I don't know why you have beef with me, but I honestly could care less. You're an Obelisk, and you're strong. That's all the reason I need." Jaden said. "Good to hear." Jaden and Chazz stood about ten yards across from each other in the ring. Syrus stood behind Jaden, while Chazz had no one in his corner. Both combatants drew their blades, ready to fight.

Chazz was the first to strike, taking three large leaps across the ring, swinging a powerful overhead strike at Jaden, who blocked it with difficulty. They locked blades, with Chazz pushing Jaden back towards the edge of the ring.

As Jaden diverted all effort towards guarding Chazz's heavy black blade, Chazz aimed a kick at Jaden's side. Jaden got the wind knocked out of him, allowing Chazz to bring his sword down on Jaden.

Right before it made contact, Jaden rolled out of the way. Chazz fell off balance from swinging his heavy sword, giving Jaden an opportunity to knee Chazz in the gut. As he doubled over in pain, Jaden punched Chazz in the face, causing the Obelisk Blue student to fly across the ring. Chazz used to momentum of the blow to his advantage, flipping in the air and landing on his feet. Jaden regained his breath as Chazz wiped blood from his lip.

As the two combatants stared each other down, Chazz held his sword out in front of him. "You're not bad, slacker. But it's time to show you the difference in our skill. **Sobu Suri, Fuunji** (Equip, Soldier of Fortune)." A short burst of air blustered from Chazz as his spiritual pressure spiked. Chazz held his blade out and yelled as he powered up. A light-blue aura began to form, then settled around Chazz's sword. Syrus braced himself as Chazz powered up. Jaden stood his ground, gazing upon the shikai with brazen confidence.

"My Zanpakuto's shikai is considered to be one of the most versatile out of any blade in the school. It allows me to change the shape of my weapon. The more I train with it, the more weapon shapes I can use." To demonstrate, Chazz transformed his black broadsword into a long wooden spear. "Because of this, I was accepted into Obelisk Blue, despite the fact that I have not achieved Bankai." Chazz muttered the last part to himself.

At the sound of that strange term, Jaden's ears perked up. "Bankai? What's that?" Chazz smirked an ugly smirk. "If you don't know what Bankai is, than you don't deserve to know! It only shows how much of a slacker you are!" Jaden snarled. "Fine! I don't care what is! I won't need it to prove that I'm strong! **"Daishi no Yosu, Eiyu no Hoshi!"** Jaden's form did not change at all, but everyone knew what that command meant.

As the two rivals braced for combat, another observer made their presence known. "Wow. This is quite a ways to go for a simple dick measuring contest." Alexis commented. Jaden, Syrus, and Chazz were braced to run, in case she had brought campus security with her. Sensing the tension, Alexis chuckled with derision. "You think I would bring campus security with me? As if. I wanna see this fight, despite how meaningless it is." Jaden chuckled. "I think you're rooting for me to win and don't wanna admit it." He flirted. "Think that if you want. By the way, watch out." Jaden took her advice and ducked to his knees, narrowly avoiding Chazz's spear. Jaden swung his katana in an uppercut, nicking Chazz's chin.

Chazz's eyes lit up, as if he had just got an idea. He quickly pointed his index and middle fingers at Jaden. Jaden lunged at Chazz, but suddenly stopped in his tracks. A desperate chill worked its way up his spine, and his arms were forced behind his back. "What the hell is this?!" Jaden hurriedly tried to will himself free. "**Bakudo #1, Sai (Restrain).** I figured you couldn't use kido. It requires too much control for someone as slow as you. Therefore, there's no way you could escape from this! " Chazz smirked, and lunged forward with his spear.

Jaden quickly mustered energy in his mouth, his cheeks bulging. "**Eiyu no Hoshi: Gokakkyu!** (Hero of the Stars: Great Fireball)" An enormous burst of flame erupted from Jaden's mouth, causing Chazz to immediately backpedal to the end of the ring. As Chazz lost concentration on the binding spell, Jaden broke free of it.

Not giving Chazz time to cast another spell, Jaden wrapped the orange flames around his sword, causing his blade to look like a majestic flaming cross. Chazz reformed his weapon, this time into two curved scimitars, with red tassels on the bottom of the hilt. Jaden held his sword above his head briefly, then slammed onto the ground. He manipulated the fire, causing to roll off of the sword in a wave-like shape, burning the ring in a straight line.

Chazz's form flashed for a second, moving at high speeds. He then reappeared in front of Jaden, swinging two blades down upon Jaden. Jaden blocked once again. At first, Chazz appeared to be forcing Jaden back. Slowly, but surely, a humming noise drilled into the ears of everyone present. Chazz quickly realized where the noise was coming from, and withdrew his strike immediately.

Syrus was rapt with awe, while Alexis gave an appraising look. A high-pressure wind current had built up around Jaden's sword. The humming had progressed to a high-pitched whine. "I call this move **Daitoppen** (Cutting Wind). By manipulating the air around us and compressing it, I can give a regular sword the consistency of a chainsaw. Seriously, this thing can through damn near anything in one strike." To demonstrate, Jaden quickly slashed his blade across the floor, leaving a deep gash where the blade hit.

Chazz coldly sneered. "You have been blessed. A zanpakuto that controls the four elements…that's way too powerful for a loser like you." Jaden pointed his sword at Chazz. "Who cares? The Zanpakuto is a reflection of the user's soul. We color its power with our personalities. Our very essence is reflected in the blade. My Zanpakuto is strong because I am strong, and vice-versa. It sounds like your making excuses. If you're such an elite warrior, it shouldn't matter what powers my sword has." Jaden pontificated. Chazz snarled and launched himself at Jaden.

Alexis stroked her chin in thought. She spoke to Syrus without looking at him. "You know, I thought he was just a stupid frat boy, but he might be smarter than he looks. He shows surprising understanding of his blade." Syrus laughed. "He might be insane, but there does appear to be a method to his madness."

Chazz wildly swung his black swords, his fighting style becoming more free-flowing. Jaden tried to cut him down with Daitoppen, but Chazz deftly was able to avoid every potential strike. Chazz went in for a stab, but Jaden jumped back, only receiving a cut across his shirt for his trouble. Jaden placed both hands on his sword's hilt and began to rotate the sword in a windmill-like fashion.

Using Daitoppen, a strong tunnel of wind began to pick up speed. Chazz's advance was halted, and he slowly found himself being pushed back. The wind was so strong, it caused his blue jacket to fringe and tatter. Jaden, rapidly losing energy, poured his power into creating a large burst of air pressure. "Haaah!" Jaden's outburst of power caused a sonic boom, causing a loud crack to be heard across the facility. "Shit!" Chazz was swept off of his feet, flying up into the ceiling before collapsing on the ground, seemingly unconscious.

"Well, now we have campus security on our asses. That attack must have been felt by the entire island." Alexis prepared to bolt, slowly moving towards the nearest exit. "I agree." Syrus began to inch towards the door as well. Jaden, however, was too caught up in the fight to care. He sauntered towards Chazz, who was sprawled across the ground. "Hey, you put up a good fight! That was fun, but we should probably go." Jaden kneeled down to see if Chazz was alright.

Chazz's eyes quickly snapped open as he pointed his index finger at Jaden. "**Hado #4, Byakurai! **(White Lightning)" A bright, cream-colored blast of energy slammed into Jaden, who took the blast head on. However, the white lightning quickly dissipated. Jaden was still able to stand, despite sustaining burns across his arms and chest. Chazz slowly dragged himself to his feet. "Wow, he can take some punishment!" Jaden marveled at Chazz's durability. "You think…I would just lay down and accept defeat like that!?" Chazz growled. Jaden picked up his sword, which he dropped after being hit by the lightning, with a hint of trepidation in his eye.

Before they could continue to fight, Alexis and Syrus jumped into the ring, grabbing Jaden's shoulder. "Hey, let's go. This fight isn't worth it." Syrus said seriously. "There's campus security on the way. We have a minute, tops." Alexis said. To prove her point, the kids faintly heard boot steps outside in the hallway. Jaden's pride sorely wanted to continue the fight, but he realized that he wouldn't be able to finish it before the cops arrived. "Let's roll. Hey Chazz, you better get outta here too-" Jaden turned around to find that Chazz had already escaped. "Heh, guess he's good at running away."

The three students ran out of the back exit, and didn't look back until they were well out of sight of the school. They stopped near the edge of the forest near the Obelisk Blue Dorms. After they checked to make sure they were out of danger, Jaden threw his head back and laughed a crazy, long laugh. His mood was so infectious, Syrus and Alexis began to laugh too, after a while. The laughter eventually died down to a comfortable silence. "Well, Sy, surely that was more fun that being cooped up in the dorm, wasn't it?" Jaden smiled over at the boy who was quickly becoming his best friend. While their personalities clashed, a good adventure seemed to bring them together.

"And how about you, ice queen? Did you like watching our "dick-measuring contest?", as you put it?" Jaden asked pointedly. Alexis crossed her arms. "It was fun, actually. You show great promise, Yuki. I'd love to fight you sometime in the future." She tilted her head. "Name a time and place, and you're on! Maybe you should give me your number so we can communicate and stuff." He winked. "Don't push your luck." Despite her cold dismissal of him, he just laughed.

"Man, I could sleep right here." He leaned against a tree. "A starry night, warm weather, and good friends." Syrus grinned at Jaden, while Alexis pursed her lips. "Well, as nice as sleeping on the ground sounds, I'm going back to the dorm. I'll see you in class tomorrow. But first, this should fix you up."

She walked over to Jaden and wordlessly gathered green energy into her hand. She quickly waved it over Jaden. His wounds were healed, leaving little evidence of his fight, other than his ripped clothes. She appeared to be using some kind of kido, but Jaden couldn't be sure. With that, she faded into the night. Jaden and Syrus walked back to the dorm and crashed into their bunk beds, falling into dreamless sleep.

A/N

Greetings, lovely readers, and thank you for reading Chapter 2 of Kids With Swords!

I hope that you found the first of many battles between Jaden and his rival Chazz to your liking. Chazz's characterization here will be more influenced by his counterpart in the manga, where he is actually a respectable character. I highly urge anime-only watchers to check the manga out, as it can influence how you view the characters. Alexis' character is also more from the manga, where she is a little meaner than she is in the anime, at least at first.

When creating Chazz's Zanpakuto, I decided to base it around a simple, yet versatile ability. In the GX series, he plays many different archetypes of cards, so I figured he could be proficient with many types of weapons in the KWS verse. As far as chapter updates will proceed, I will probably be able to update about every saturday or so, pending extenuating circumstances, of course. In the meantime, tell me what you thought of this chapter! What are your expectations of the story in the future?

**Review Responses-**

**Wow I honestly got to say I never read anything like this, let alone a bleach/yugioh GX to you for this idea it is certainly a unique story, Humor was good but got to say it has potential as a serious fic if you wanted to go that Zanpaktou's as well, you must be filled with ideas I like that :)Look forward to reading more. -Lightningblade49**

Thank you for the positive feedback! I'm honored that you chose to be the first review for this story! When it comes to KWS being a serious fic, I will tell you that the story will include some serious elements down the road, including some parts that may expand on the Yu-Gi-Oh GX canon. For the most part, however, I would like the story to avoid being melodramatic. I simply feel that I am not as good at writing serious works yet, you see.


	3. NIGHTTIME EXCURSIONS

_Those who define love as beautiful are those who do not know love._

_Those who define love as ugly have seen its true form._

Jaden and Syrus wandered into their first class of the day, English taught by Professor Vellian Crowler.

"Man, I can't believe I have to start my day off by dealing with this guy's bullshit for an hour…" Jaden yawned loudly.

Syrus frowned. "He might still be mad about you humiliating him in front of our entire class at the entrance exams. Just don't do anything to provoke him and you should be fine." He explained.

"Alright, just don't provoke him!" Jaden repeated. "Actually, I meant don't talk or do anything. At all." Syrus hastily backtracked. Jaden nodded in understanding. "I see. In that case, I'll have this at the ready." He pulled his phone from his pocket, already having Twitter pulled up on the screen. "Perfect." Syrus grumbled sarcastically.

Crowler hustled into class as soon as the bell rang and immediately quizzed the students on grammatical structures. The class was made up of Obelisks, Ras, and Slifers in equal amount, so the answers were all over the map.

"Miss Rhodes! I hope you can tell me what a direct object is!" Crowler snapped at the ice queen of Obelisk Blue. "A direct object is the noun that is being modified by the main verb." Despite having bags under her eyes, Alexis' mind was a sharp as ever.

"Truesdale! Tell me what a dangling participle is!" Crowler snarled at he boy. Syrus was visibly squirming in his seat, cold sweat rolling down his face.

"Uh, well…dangles…dangling….party-ciples….as you know…" Syrus was now twitching uncontrollably. Crowler sighed at the pathetic display of cowardice. "Can someone else tell me what a dangling participle is before Truesdale wets himself?" The whole room laughed at Syrus' expense, excluding Alexis and Bastion.

Syrus mentally berated himself ten times over for failing to know what a dangling participle meant. "Why do I get such bad stage fright! It's like I forget how to talk when the teacher asks me a question! What's wrong with me?"

Jaden, who had been playing a game on his phone and largely ignoring the proceedings, paused. "Syrus. Relax. Nothing is wrong with you, especially just because you don't know what a dangling participle is. Jesus, I've seen battered hookers with more self-esteem than you."

Syrus stewed through the rest of the period. Alexis, having heard Jaden's comments, sat in thought. Jaden's words were crude, but at the same time, wise. Crowler overheard his comment as well, but did not outwardly react. "That idiot will pay for his insolence…" He thought.

In the afternoon, the Slifer Reds had gym class. No one really knew why Zanpakuto combatants even required such rudimentary physical training as gym, but no one questioned it.

As they awkwardly stood in the gymnasium wearing ill-fitting t-shirts and shorts, a perky young woman with red hair walked into the room. "Hello class, I am Miss Fontaine. I am chief nurse of the academy's medical staff, but I will also be your gym teacher."

No one paid attention to a word she was saying, instead staring at her sighed when she realized the reality of the situation. "Alright, for a warm-up, why don't we run ten laps around the track." Just as she suspected, the drooling boys did not question such a ridiculously taxing warm-up, jogging with dumb compliance.

Syrus was the last of the boys to get dressed for gym. He quickly pulled a pair of tennis shoes out from his locker. "I really have to thank Jaden for letting me borrow his spare shoes!" Syrus hurriedly put one of the sneakers on, only for an envelope to fall out of the sole.

"Huh?" Syrus quickly opened the message to see frilly lettering. _"Meet me at the Obelisk Blue girl's dorm tonight at 10:00. I really wanna see what you can do, if you know what I mean. __J__" _The letter was signed in Alexis' Rhodes name. Needless to say, Syrus was very surprised at the contents of the letter. "Yes! Alexis is calling me over for a clandestine booty call! Ah, yeah, I'm in it!" Syrus didn't even go to gym class, instead going to the dorm to "get ready" for the fun night in store for him.

The rest of the day passed without event. Later that night, Jaden had just returned to the dorm after taking a shower. "Sup, Chumley. The showers are open." Jaden said as he dried his hair. "I don't take showers." Chumley said, causing Jaden to retch. "Of course not, how silly of me to assume. Did Syrus stop by the dorm at all this afternoon? I know you haven't left this place all day." Jaden snarked. "Nah, haven't seen him. Kinda worried about him." Chumley said. "I'm surprised you could spare the energy to worry. Whatever, it's fine. Syrus can do his own thing. It's not like we have to do everything together." Jaden said, ever-relaxed. "Right. You up for a game of Street Fighter?" Chumley said. "Sure, man!"

At 10:00 sharp, Syrus began to hustle over to the Obelisk Blue girl's dorm, sprinting across the island like a man possessed. If someone had a stopwatch, they would've measured Syrus running four miles in ten minutes. He ran around the lake, almost to the back of the dorm, which looked a cross between a European castle and a rehab center for famous celebrities.

In the lake, a horrific image rose from the still water. This image was Crowler in a skin-tight black bodysuit with a waterproof camera in hand. A strangely multi-pitched laugh emerged from Crowler's painted lips. "Now that the Slifer has fallen for the old "fake love letter" trick, I can snap a few pics of him peeping into the girl's bathroom, and he'll have a sexual harassment lawsuit on his hands so quick, he'll be out of here before he can say "Jameis Winston"!" Crowler repeated his dastardly plan to himself as a way of cognitive dissonance to disguise the fact that that peeping in the girl's bathroom was not even a punishable offense at Duel Academy. In fact, Syrus would be inadvertently be joining about 50 other male students who were peeping in the bathrooms at that very moment, unbeknownst to Crowler.

However, Crowler's unjustified cackling was cut short when he got a good look at the Slifer. Syrus was prowling around the outside of the bath window. "What!? That's not Jaden! That's his little smurf friend!"

Inside of the bath house, Alexis was enjoying a nice soak after a long day of classes. Sitting across from her in the spacious hot tub were her groupies, jasmine and Mindy. Despite being brain-dead, unskilled, and all-around worthless human beings, Alexis enjoyed having them around. They her brought her lunch, ran errands for her, and perpetuated her reputation as an ice queen so the other boys wouldn't talk to her.

Unfortunately, just as Alexis was truly beginning to relax, Mindy opened her mouth. "How about that Syrus kid during English today? He looked like he was about to piss himself!" Mindy snorted. "Did you see how disrespectful that Jaden kid was being? He had his phone out the whole time!" Jasmine parroted.

Alexis quickly grew tired of their complaining. "Girls, I'm gonna dry off and go get some air. It's a beautiful night tonight." She said quietly. "Sure! We'll see you later Lex!" Alexis disregarded them, quickly dressing herself in sweat pants and a blue t-shirt before walking outside.

She stepped into the cool night air, taking a deep breath and relaxing. Then she opened her eyes, only to see Syrus hiding behind a bush. Understandably, she gasped rather loudly. "What the hell are you doing here?!" She shrieked. "Alexis! I'm here for our booty call!" Syrus said with hope.

Alexis was appalled. She could not grasp what Syrus was even thinking. She gaped at him like he was some kind of alien. Jasmine and Mindy ran outside clad in nothing but towels, very angry to see a Slifer peeping on them.

As all their attention was focused on Syrus, they did not catch the dozens of other perverted students taking Instagram pictures and evacuating from the premises like thieves in the night.

"Please, let me explain-" Syrus' stammering was cut short by Alexis grabbing him by the neck and lifting him three feet off of the ground. "You are coming with me. You will not make any more noise. I just got an idea…" Alexis grinned an evil smirk. They flash stepped away from the lake font.

The three girls and Syrus appeared in the main hall of the Obelisk Blue girls dorm. Unlike what Syrus expected, the walls were painted gold, not blue. An elaborate chandelier hung from a 50-foot high ceiling. They were in the custodian's closet under the main staircase.

Alexis wordlessly cast **Bakudo #4, Hainwa**, causing a rope of gold-yellow light to tightly coil around Syrus. Syrus blushed heavily after being tied up by the attractive Obelisk. "This is actually pretty hot." He mumbled. "You hear that?! This kid was totally creeping on us!" Jasmine pleaded with her friend.

Alexis scoffed, then shoved her hand into Syrus' pocket, pulling out a slightly crumpled envelope. "Syrus is the type of kid to keep his pervy side under wraps. God knows the kid is repressed anyway. Someone who wanted to humiliate him set him up. This is the type of bullying Chazz would do." Alexis' tone conveyed that she felt sorry for Syrus, but still viewed him as beneath her.

"You got played. But we can turn this unfortunate misunderstanding into a positive yet…" A sultry tone crept into her voice. Syrus felt chills race up his spine. "No, we're not having sex, Syrus." Alexis then released the binding spell. "Call Jaden and tell him to come over here right away." Syrus quickly fumbled his cell phone out of his pocket, frantically dialing Jaden's number.

Jaden and Chumley had taken to watching Netflix when Jaden received a call. Chumley paused the video as Jaden answered. "What's up Sy? Is there a party going on?" Jaden's confidence radiated through the phone. "Something like that. Just replace the word "party" with "hostage situation"."

"Hostage situation? What the fuck? What do they want? Syrus, hold on, we'll pay anything!" Jaden and Chumley both drew their Zanpakuto unconsciously, ready to save their friend. Suddenly, a voluptuous voice filled Jaden's ear. "Calling it a hostage situation might be a little harsh. We found Syrus "peeping" over at our dorm."

"There's no way someone so shy would have the balls to do that." Jaden immediately said.

"Exactly. But we could tell the teachers anything and they would believe us. Why don't you come on over and we can work a deal out."

Jaden's eyes widened. He turned the phone off. "Chumley, hand me the condoms right now." Chumley pulled out the secret compartment under his bunk where he kept a stockpile of rubber, just for emergencies. "Here, bro." "Thanks Chum. Hey, you might wanna come with on this one. Hell, you might even get it in." Jaden punched Chumley lightly in the arm. He snorted. "Thanks for the offer, but someone's gotta bail you guys out when you wake tomorrow with a ball gag in your mouth and your hands cuffed to a radiator." Jaden gulped audibly. "Frankly, I don't care. This is a great opportunity. But you might be right. I'll see you in the morning, Chum." "See ya."

Jaden slowly jogged over the Obelisk Blue dorm, eventually reaching the pier by the lake. There, he saw Syrus tied up in an actual rope, tape over his mouth, with three hungry looking teenage girls gazing at him. Jaden licked his lips.

"Well, what do I have to do to get my friend back?" his voice dripped with lust. To his surprise and dismay, Alexis drew her Zanpakuto from her grey sweatpants.

"This may not be what you wanted to do, but you might get lucky yet, Jaden Yuki." To her surprise, Jaden's shark-like grin widened. "You wanna fight, huh? Sounds good to me. You know, you didn't have to kidnap my friend to get me to fight you though." "

Don't think you're off the hook. If I beat you in this fight, you and Syrus are getting suspended when I tattle on you. You will have to come at me with every trick you have, Jaden Yuki, if you want a hope of surviving." Her cold hazel eyes bored into him.

"You are a bit of a two-timing bitch, aren't you?" He replied. Their glares battled for a moment, then she diverted her attention to Jasmine and Mindy. "You two; mask our reiatsu. I don't want anyone to interrupt this fight." Mindy and Jasmine nodded silently, both of them splaying their palms. **"Bakudo #2, Fukashi."** Jaden felt an unpleasant sensation wash over him. It was similar to being in a stuffy, hot room.

Without further ado, Alexis rushed Jaden with a lateral strike, causing him to jump backward, jumping off of the pier in the process. Projecting his reiatsu off of his feet, Jaden was able to step on the surface of the water. Alexis' tennis shoes made contact with the water. "So, you want to fight on the water? In that case, this might be a little disadvantageous for you. **Mai, Sode No Shirayuki** (Dance, Sleeved-White Snow). Jaden gasped as she released her Zanpakuto.

As Alexis released her shikai, a rush of cold air assaulted Jaden, chilling him to the bone. The gales were felt on the pier as well, causing Mindy and Jasmine to shiver. They decided to rip the tape off of Syrus' mouth so they could hear his teeth chatter. Alexis turned her sword 270 degrees, a white ribbon trailing from the blade's hilt. The sword flashed, turning from silver to white as the purest snow. The water around Alexis' feet froze over completely.

"What do you think, Jaden Yuki? They say Sode no Shirayuki is the most beautiful Zanpakuto in the entire school. However, its beauty masks a power that will freeze over even the strongest warrior." Jaden laughed, as he is wont to do.

"Ah, I thought they just called you the "ice queen" because you were a total bitch, but I guess this works too." Over at the pier, Mindy and Jasmine looked on in pride. "Sorry, kid, but it looks like Alexis is deciding to take this match somewhat seriously." Syrus frowned. "Jaden will win."

Alexis flash stepped over to Jaden, who barely raised his sword in time to block. As they clashed blades, everywhere Alexis stepped froze solid. "Hurry and up and use your shikai, Jaden. You will need that to stand a chance."

Jaden smirked. **"Gokkakyu!" **A stream of orange flame flew from Jaden's mouth. Alexis quickly flash stepped away, out of the fire's linear track. "When did you get the impression I didn't release my shikai before coming here?" Alexis sneered at his clever strategy. "You think I'm the one at a disadvantage? I have fire powers, and I'm facing an ice-type Zanpakuto. Frankly, you're screwed. **Genzai no Ryu** (Dragon of the Ocean Current)!"

A stream of water in the shape of a dragon's maw flew up from the lake, flying right at Alexis while Jaden controlled it with its hands. "And it's not just fire; you have the four elements to deal with!"

Crowler scampered out of range as soon as the fight began. "This is perfect! My Obelisk queen will crush Jaden once and for all!" Across the lake, Alexis gazed at the water dragon with disdain. She stopped the flow of liquid with one stroke of her sword, flash-freezing the current. Before Jaden could react, she appeared right next to him.

**"Some no Mai, Tsukishiro. **(First Dance, White Moon)" A glowing circle appeared around Jaden's feet, white energy flowing around him. Seeing what was about to happen, Jaden immediately struck a pose just like the Statue of Liberty. A tower of ice formed, freezing Jaden in it. Alexis could not help but laugh at Jaden's clownish behavior. "Well, that was quick. Guess they're getting expelled…"

However, she was forced to retract her statement when she felt the ice begin to melt. In a red glow of energy, Jaden successfully escaped from the ice by heating up his entire body, causing a warm red glow to envelop him.

"Nice trick. Is that what you used against Crowler?" Alexis asked, not worried at all. "That's right. **Eiyu No Hoshi: Streaking Comet.** It was a little tough for me to use against Crowler, but that's because I cranked my energy up to the max too soon. By keeping the heat at a lower intensity, I maintain it much longer. At the very least, it's tough enough to break your weak ice down." Jaden bragged, his flames licking the surface of the water. "Don't think too highly of yourself. I had ample time to shatter that ice into a million pieces, and you along with it. You would have fell into bite-sized shards." The white ribbon flowed gently in the wind.

Jaden gnashed his teeth. "So, you're going easy? That's a little disappointing. I was hoping you would go all out against me, especially since you supposedly want me expelled."

Alexis' eyes twinkled. "_Well, I don't really want you expelled. You're making this school a hell of a lot more interesting, Jaden Yuki." _She thought. She raised her blade, pointing it at Jaden. "You should be careful what you wish for. If I really went all out and released by Bankai, you wouldn't even have time to regret it." She said coldly.

"Can someone please tell me what a Bankai is? I keep hearing it thrown around, and I have no idea what it is." Jaden said, frustrating. A soft giggle escaped from Alexis' lips, shattering her icy façade. "A Bankai is a Zanpakuto's true form. In Bankai, you can access the full scope of the blade's power. However, it takes more than a name to achieve Bankai. It requires communication with the sword's spirit. It takes complete knowledge and understanding of the self. This who achieve Bankai are immediately in the top 1% of the strongest fighters in the academy, regardless of whatever powers the Bankai has." "I've never even talked to my Zanpakuto before. The only reason I know Shikai is because I heard some voice in the back of my mind tell me the release command." "That was your sword. It must really want to help you if it just tells you its name like that. You should try communicating with it sometime. Maybe it will help you when have to retake the entrance exam next year." She mocked.

"Not gonna happen!" Jaden flew towards her in a burst of fiery energy. He sheathed his sword, instead aiming to physically strike her. He coiled swirls of heat energy around his fists. Alexis raised her blade above her shoulders. "**Tsugi no Mai, Hakuren **(Next Dance, White Tree)!" A stream of ice erupted form her sword's tip, coming straight at Jaden. Jaden flash stepped out of the ice's path, only for the ice to branch off, another projectile hurling itself at Jaden. He zipped over to the shoreline of the lake, his red aura flickering, than disappearing completely.

The Hakuren's ice diverged into two beams, looking to sandwich Jaden in between them. Jaden quickly slammed his sword into the beach's sand. "**Eiyu No Hoshi: Doryuuheki **(Hero of The Stars: Clay Wall)!" Two stone walls appeared on either side of Jaden. "You think using the same tricks you used against Crowler will work on me!?" Alexis' body collected a sky blue aura around it. She quickly redirected the ice beam's course, having such control over it that she was able to angle the beams over the clay walls and point them directly at Jaden again. Jaden slammed his palms into the sand, causing mud and dirt to quickly collect above him.

Again, Alexis was able to divert the beams. Eventually, Jaden had to completely surround himself in a dome of mud and clay to defend him from the ice. Panting in exertion and sensing a short reprieve, he fell to the ground and tried to catch his breath.

Alexis tutted at the sight of the mud dome. "So, he thinks he can turtle in there forever, huh?" She sheathed her sword and decided to wait him out.

Jasmine and Mindy began doing their special victory dance they performed whenever Alexis won a fight. "Hey, Jaden's not done yet! He's probably thinking of a strategy right now!" Syrus tried to defend the person who had quickly become a good friend to him. "Oh please. He's in there trying to catch his breath! He's out of ideas and doesn't want to show it!" Jasmine boasted.

Jaden clutched his side in pain, trying to think of a strategy. **_"I thought you were better than this! Hurry up and kill her!"_** The voice was familiar to Jaden, but he had always thought it was his own. Just now, it had begun to take on a strange, menacing tone. Could it really be his Zanpakuto?

He would think about it later. He would not kill Alexis, but would he, if it meant he could maintain his freedom? "I want to win this fight." He repeated to himself. "I am free. Alexis may be hot, but she threatens my freedom. Anyone who threatens my freedom…" he trailed off. _"__**…must die."**_ The voice picked up for him. "No. I will not kill her! But I can win. I must win because I can win. That is my freedom!" Jaden's red power sparked back to life.

Alexis was considering attacking him again, but was intrigued when she saw a red glow emerge from the mud sphere. The red streaking comet flew across the lake at supersonic speeds.

Before Alexis could react, she was tackled by the hero of the stars. Jaden bored his fist into her chest, incinerating a portion of her shirt and her skin. She screamed in agony from the horrendous burns. Jaden flew under the surface of the lake, taking her with him.

Alexis' mind was whipping through spastic thoughts- was he really going to kill her? How powerful is he? What was for lunch tomorrow? These thoughts flickered out as fast as they came. Her brittle ice sword broke from the pressure of being underwater. Alexis' lungs were all out of air when she and Jaden flew out of the water again. Jaden flew up into the air, his red aura fading. He held her in a chokehold as she desperately gasped for air. His eyes were not their usual warm chocolate hue, instead an unsettling gold color. The silhouette of the slifer boy holding the ice queen by the neck could be seen by all against the yellow full moon.

She smirked, bangs falling over her eyes. "**San**…**No**…**Mai** (Third Dance)" To Jaden's great surprise and pain, Sode No Shirayuki's broken blade had reformed, stabbing through Jaden's abdomen to do so. His eyes immediately reverted back to brown as he clutched her sword in pain.

"**Shirafune.** (White Blade) You lose, Jaden." She said, with slight panting in her breath. "Damn, you beat me like I owed you money…" Jaden looked distraught looking down at Syrus' disappointed face. "Good thing I'm not gonna talk, huh?" She pulled the sword out and cast a healing kido on Jaden's wound, healing it in about three minutes.

"You're not going to turn me in? What was the point of this fight then?" Jaden questioned. Alexis tousled his hair. "To see how strong you are, silly! You wouldn't fight me seriously unless there were some stakes. Besides, it was fun seeing you squirm. I think I like you when you're desperate…" She licked her lips in rapey fashion, although it was purely playful in nature. Jaden began to laugh, a small chuckle at first, then a full-blown belly laugh, prompting Alexis to do the same. "I cannot believe you played me like that! Wait, so you're saying I'm an uke?!" He said between giggles. Alexis smiled at him, although her mind was racing about the mysterious golden eyes she saw.

The fire-forged friends descended down to the pier. "Alright, let him go, girls." Jasmine scoffed, "You can't be serious! He was peeping!" "Let the guy get his rocks off. Besides, if he comes around here again, we'll just kill him! How does that sound, Sy?" Alexis said playfully.

Syrus was crying profusely, a steady stream of urine trickling down his pant leg.

"Maybe we'll swing by some other time at night… be ready." Jaden winked at her. Alexis snorted, then crossed her arms. "Get out of here, Jaden Yuki. I've already had enough of you for tonight." But she winked at him all the same.

As the two boys ran off into the night, Mindy turned to Alexis, who watched them run off. "Wow, Lex, are you falling for a Slifer?" She teased. Alexis turned cold hazel eyes towards her lackey. "As if. I do not "fall" for boys. It is beneath me. You have to admit, it was fun torturing those Slifers though." Jasmine elbowed Alexis in the rib. "Don't give us that crap." "…Good night, girls."

Crowler scampered off back to his quarters. "Well, that was a failure. There has to be some way to get that kid out of my hair!" He bellowed.

With that, an explosive first day finally faded into sleep. The stars playfully twinkled. A new era was just beginning.

A/N

Greetings, lovely readers, I hope you enjoyed the third chapter of Kids With Swords!

I basically copypasted Rukia's Zanpakuto over to Alexis, which I believe suits Alexis just as well, as she is known for using ice-related cards in the GX Manga. Alexis will use Sode no Shirayuki in some unconventional ways, though, so watch out for that. She will be given a much more distinct characterization here than she was given in canon, and I hope you find Alexis to be a fascinating character!

This chapter also marks the first of many divergences from canon. Despite putting up an amazing fight against Alexis, Jaden does not defeat her. This was to make Jaden a slightly more fallible character. He's not going to win every battle like he did in canon. He's a young buck with a lot to learn, after all! Speaking of Jaden, how about the strange voice of his Zanpakuto? Those gold eyes may be familiar to a lot of GX fans. Anyways, thanks for reading the chapter, and make sure to check back next saturday for a new chapter of KWS!

Review Responses

**This was utterly hilarious, yet oddly thrilling all the same. Crowler's sword sees to be a more defensive version of Kommamura's Tenken. A description of the sealed amd released forms of the zanpakuto is the only thing that I think needs to be added. I can only imagine what the God Cards and Sacred Beasts would be like as Zanpakuto, let alone freaking Exodia or Yubel.**

**Probably a good idea with the characterization of Alexis and Chazz, the latter was a complete arse and a joke as a person. As for Alexis, aren't all Ice Elemental users a bit frosty? Pardon the pun, at least I assume she has and Ice element blade. Heck, you could get away with giving her Sode no Shirayuki, though I honestly like your custom zanpakuto just fine. If you go that way with Alexis, I assume she would have one based on either the Cyberblader series or the White Night cards? - correnhimself316**

I appreciate your views on the story, and you certainly called it with Alexis' Zanpakuto. I found it difficult to establish a custom Zanpakuto for Alexis without it being ice-related, and Sode no Shirayuki is an ice-related weapon of the highest caliber, so I figured it suited her. I'll try to add a more detailed desciption of the swords in the future as well. Thanks for reviewing, and I hope you continue to read this story!


	4. IT'S JUST A TEST

_Victory leads to complacency; complacency leads to weakness; weakness leads to defeat; defeat leads to anger; anger leads to motivation; motivation leads to victory._

Before the kids knew it, two weeks had passed, and it was time for the first big examination of the year. With the kids beginning to settle in, Jaden found a lack of adventure to be found around the school as everyone spent their free time studying. The word "study" wasn't even in his vocabulary. At 7 in the morning on the day of the test, Syrus was cramming some last crumbs of information in his mind while simultaneously to all sorts of gods.

"Jesus, Allah, Zeus! I humbly will offer up my virginity for a chance to pass this test!" Syrus had already begun the holy sacraments when the room's alarm clock interrupted. Despite its shrill noise echoing right next to Jaden's eardrum, he still somehow slept through it. Chumley fidgeted, but still remained asleep as well. Syrus was baffled at the utter lack of cares they were giving at a test that would color their grade for the rest of the semester.

"Jaden! Wake up! Even if you don't care about your grades, I do for some reason!" Syrus violently shoved Jaden until his eyes opened.

Smacking his breath, Jaden turned over to Syrus. "That's cute, Sy. But frankly, I could care less about math, science, or history. Our combat assessment is at 1, so I can sleep in until then." Jaden then let his head hit the pillow, but Syrus wasn't having it. "We're already late! Come on, just try to get a 60% on the written tests at least." Jaden grunted. "Fine, you go on, I need to get dressed." Syrus smiled, then ran out of the door, almost knocking it off of its recently-repaired hinges.

Jaden stood and stretched. "Hey Chum, since you're not going to the test, can you make breakfast? Maybe some sausage?" Chumley burped. "Make it yourself. I can't be bothered at this ungodly hour." Jaden climbed to the top bunk and rolled Chumley over so his face was facing Jaden. He stuck out his lower lip slightly and began to pout. He even began to pull out the doe eyes on him. Chumley hesitated for a second, then relented. "Fine, you win this time. But your "cute" face isn't gonna work forever!" Chumley rolled out of the top bunk, falling onto the floor, then began to start the stovetop their dorm had. "You're the best, Chum!" Jaden punched his friend in the arm.

After a fabulous breakfast courtesy of his roommate, Jaden traveled towards the school, riding a red skateboard. On the bottom of the board were the words "ELEMENTAL HERO" written in green spray paint. As he rolled over a hill, he noticed a broken down truck on the side of the path, with an old lady trying to push it, having little success.

Jaden slowed down, faced with a dilemma. Despite his posturing in front of Syrus, it really was important to pass the academic written exams today, if only to prolong his school experience. Then again, seeing the elderly woman struggling tugged at his heartstrings. Besides, it would actually give him an excuse to be late to the test.

He sidled up next to the truck and began to push. The woman turned around, surprised to see a student. "Hey there. Can I help you here, lady?" Jaden said quickly. She smiled in a matronly way. "Why thank you! You're such a sweet boy! But shouldn't you have an exam going on right now?" Jaden held his finger to his mouth and shushed her. She laughed before they began to push the truck over to the academy. "Man, this is heavy! What's in here? Cinderblocks?" "Actually, it's a new supply of food for the cafeteria."

Syrus was already freaking out over the math test, and that was before he popped a vein in his forehead. His hand twitched uncontrollably, his pencil scribbling on the paper as a result. Sweat came down in rivulets, spotting the test paper with salty fluid. Now that Syrus thought about it, he spent more time at this school in a cold sweat than not. He nearly freaked out when he saw Jaden saunter into the room, grabbing a test from the enigmatic Slifer Dorm head, Professor Banner's stack.

Perhaps that was why he was nervous; Professor Banner was a strange figure. He was a pencil-thin Asian man, never seen without his fat tabby cat he called Pharaoh. The man wore starched slacks, a pressed tie, and wire-frame glasses. Behind the glasses were a pair of perpetually closed eyes, making Syrus wonder how the man even functioned in everyday life. His thoughts were interrupted when Jaden popped a squat next to him.

Kids sitting around grumbled and muttered about Jaden's distracting and cavalier attitude. "Jaden, we have fifteen minutes left to take this test!" Syrus hissed through clenched teeth. Jaden was already filling out random answers. "Don't worry about it! I got this!" He said loudly. In the row above them, Chazz Princeton stood up and slammed his hands on the table. "What the fuck?! Let us take the test in peace!" He snarled at them before sitting down. Jaden looked at him for a second, then turned around, ignoring him. "Wonder what his problem is…" he said, oblivious.

The test ended, Syrus looking like he was ready for death. Jaden wiped his brow. "That was a tough test, huh Sy?" Syrus' murderous eyes began to twitch.

Luckily, before Syrus could assault his roommate, Bastion Misawa swung by their desks. "Hey there, chaps. How was the test? I personally thought it was easy. Although maybe I am just that good." He said with idle arrogance. "Don't lie, I saw you write the formulas on the inside of your calculator case." Syrus pointed out. "Exactly, I'm that good. And how did you do, Jaden?" "Oh, I just copied Sy's answers while he was busy stressing out." Syrus looked offended and violated. "There's a good chap. You boys wanna grab some lunch before our combat assessment in the afternoon?" The brit said conversationally. "Sure!" Jaden said, dragging Syrus along with him.

When it was Jaden's turn to pay for his food, he saw the old lady he helped from earlier in the day. "Hey, it's you! How was your test today, kid?" The old woman said joyfully. "Pretty good, I guess." Jaden said. Syrus was boiling underneath a cool façade. "Well, here's a thanks for helping me this morning!" The old woman gave Jaden three pieces of chocolate, which he gave to Bastion and Syrus, who gratefully accepted the gift. "Go ahead, you three don't have to pay!" "Thanks!" They walked away, exchanging fist bumps in the process.

"Nice one mate." Said Bastion. Syrus looked at Jaden in questioning. Jaden picked up on it. "Her truck was out of gas, and I helped her push it." Syrus smiled. "That's why you were late? Wow, that was oddly nice of you." Jaden laughed lightly. "Well, I wasn't gonna just leave her. Besides, I needed an excuse to be late, and Banner bought it hook, line, and sinker." Syrus' face fell slightly.

The friends sat down at a long cafeteria table, nibbling on their sandwiches and vegetables. "So, where are you from Bastion? Britain?" Syrus asked, trying to strike up conversation. "Yes, although my father is from America." "Do you parents have Zanpakuto?" Jaden asked. "Interestingly, no. I am currently the only person in my family with enough power to even wield a Zanpakuto. That's why I was sent here, even though I could have gone to Oxford if I so chose." Jaden and Syrus were very surprised. Bastion showed a high understanding of Zanpakuto combat as well as kido, even though his parents didn't teach him anything. Before they could ask anything else, the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch hour. "Well, it was nice eating with you chaps." Bastion said cordially. "Yeah, we'll have to continue this conversation some other time…" Jaden said. With that, they separated to go to their combat examinations.

Chazz was sitting outside of the school entirely, eating a sandwich he made himself as he looked out at the crashing waves. His legs dangled off of the edge of the limestone cliff overlooking the sea. His grey eyes seemed calm, but he was boiling underneath; he always was, but it was even more potent today. As an Obelisk Blue, Chazz had to rise to certain expectations that were set for him, both in the school and out. He had to minimize his mistakes to perpetuate his reputation. If anyone important saw his fight against Jaden on the first day of school, he would have to conduct major damage control just to save face. Being pushed so far against a mere Slifer…his angry thoughts were interrupted by a very annoying voice.

"Chazz, my boy! You should come back to the school! Lunch is nearly over!" Chazz snarled at the sound of Dr. Crowler's voice. Crowler seemed to cultivate an impression among the student body that Chazz was his protégé. Chazz knew why; out of the top three Obelisks, he was the most conducive to Crowler's indulgent pestering. Alexis and Zane simply ignored Crowler, but Chazz was not so arrogant as to believe there was nothing to learn from the Professor. Indeed, Crowler was the one who helped Chazz develop his Shikai.

That did not mean Chazz had to like him, however. "What do you want, Crowler?" "Well, your exams start soon, so I thought I would remind you, so you wouldn't be late!" Crowler gave Chazz an audacious grin. "Oh really? And who exactly will I be tested against? No Obelisk can really push me to my limits, and I wouldn't give a good showing against Zane or Alexis." He growled. He hated admitting weakness, but there was no purpose in posturing here. "Right. That's why you're fighting…"

"Huh?" Jaden walked into the gymnasium where the examinations were taking place to find that Chazz was standing across from him. "I'm fighting you!? Why?" Jaden said reasonably. Chazz had his shikai released, black twin blades already drawn. He was practically drooling in anticipation. "Well, Jaden, I guess that's just how the cookie crumbles."

"What the fuck? Shouldn't I be matched up with someone in my dorm? You're an Obelisk, so you should placed with another Obelisk. And aren't you in the top ten percent of the student body too? This is messed up! There's no way I'm participating in this exam!"

At the top of the bleachers in the gym, the teachers were grading combat examinations and surveying students. They sat in a soundproof box with wide windows, giving them a good view. Sheppard, who was sitting at the center of the table, turned towards Crowler, who could barely contain his glee.

"Why is Jaden fighting Chazz? This is no fair comparison. Someone stop them so we can actually test them against opponents of their level!" He said logically. "Oh I don't know what happened, headmaster. I guess some secretary made a typo or something…" was the flimsy explanation Crowler offered. Sheppard made a move to get out of his chair, but after a moment of deliberation, decided to sit back down.

"Sir? Shouldn't we stop this match and uphold a semblance of academic integrity?" Professor Banner inquired. "Your logic is airtight as usual, Banner. However, let's allow this match to continue. I sense that their reiatsu output is similar enough so as to be equal." Sheppard waved. "Very well, sir. Banner accepted. They seem like they have some sort of stupid rivalry, Jaden and Chazz. This could be fun."

Chazz thirstily lunged at Jaden, slashing in a battle-crazed frenzy. Jaden hastily stepped back. Chazz aimed an overhead strike at Jaden's head, literally trying to bisect him. Jaden avoided the telegraphed stroke and grabbed Chazz's wrist, trying to break it. While it didn't break, Chazz was forced to drop his sword. Jaden then punched the Obelisk Blue in the face. Chazz retreated, gathering distance between him. Jaden tried to pick up the dropped scimitar, but to his disappointment, Chazz reformed his weapon into the heavy black broadsword, causing his scimitars to disappear.

**"Daishi no Yosu: Eiyu No Hoshi!"** Jaden released his Shikai. **"Daitoppen!"** The wind slowly compressed around the chipped katana, giving it a pressured, serrated edge. The steady whirring was a warning to those who met its edge. Chazz grit his teeth.

"So that's it? Someone who supposedly has control over the four elements has to resort to the same old tricks!? You disgust me!" Chazz's large sword began to simmer with green energy.

"Jeez, why do you hate me so much? I never did anything to you! I thought we just had a friendly match!"

"Friendly? No, that match was supposed to put you in your place! Just because you beat Crowler, you come around here with a swelled head! You think you can just get away with anything you want! Someone has to show you how it should be, Slifer!" Chazz swung his blade, releasing the green energy into a rolling wave of power, heading straight for Jaden.

Using Daitoppen, Jaden swiftly parted the beam, unharmed. "You want to show me how things should be? According to whom? You? And why the hell should I care about what you have to say?" Jaden ran towards Chazz.

"Such arrogance! You think you can talk to me like that!? You think you're better than me!?" Chazz was ranting at this point. He raised his sword to block Daitoppen, only for his black sword to be cut in half by the cutting wind. He reformed the blade easily, but was rattled nonetheless. **"Hado #4, Byakurai!"** the pale burst of electricity clashed against Jaden's wind-pressured sword, slowly pushing him back.

Chazz' body broke out in a yellow aura as he desperately gathered reishi. "**Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide into six!** **Bakudo #61, Rikujokoro** **(Six-Rod Light Restraint)!" **While Jaden struggled with the lightning spell, he suddenly felt six yellow objects slam into his abdomen, holding him in place entirely. At the same time, the lightning got past his defense, slamming into Jaden's chest. It burned his shirt off and left rapidly blistering welts on his collarbone. He hissed in pain. Jaden desperately tried to escape the binding spell, but his nerves were completely unresponsive. Chazz held Fuuinji's tip at Jaden's throat.

"Well, where's that smirk now?" Jaden struggled to catch his breath, hoping that if he could get Chazz to talk, he could think of a strategy. "In a way, I am better than you, Chazz." This was probably the worst thing he could have said, but he persisted anyway. "It's because you have some sort of preconceived notion about how school should be. You want to fit me into some kind of box, but you can't. While you are confined by society, I rise above it."

Chazz merely snarled; it did not appear as though Jaden's words had any effect on him. "You may posture all you like. At the end of the day, you are held prisoner by the same rules I am. For example, you can think you're going to stay here all you like, but you're expelled if you lose here!" Chazz said.

Jaden once again struggled against the binding spell. "Nothing is responding! The only thing I can move is my mouth…" Jaden quickly realized a way out. He opened his mouth as if to talk. **"Gokkakyu!"** Due to not having access to most of his power, Jaden's fireball was measly, not even enough to reach Chazz. However, it was powerful enough to cause a small lapse in Chazz's concentration.

With that, he was able to feel his body again and access all of his power. "**Streaking Comet**!" Jaden was barely able to gather enough energy to fire up his body, but it was enough to shatter the Rikujokoro light bars. With one punch, the red Slifer caused Chazz to fly across the arena, slamming him against the wall. The flame aura disappeared as soon as it came, leaving both fighters panting in fatigue. Blood was trickling down Chazz's forehead, while Jaden's burns flared up again with a vengeance.

"Sir, if we keep this up, one of them is going to die!" Professor Fontaine said in concern. "We've seen all we need to see. Jaden should be expelled!" Crowler said with fake disappointment. Sheppard cocked his head in questioning. "What do you mean? Jaden was able to fight Chazz to a draw. That obviously warrants a promotion to Ra Yellow. After all, Chazz is one of our top students." Sheppard once again shut Crowler down with logic. "As much as I wanted to see Jaden lose, call the match off."

The proctor who was surveying the fight blew a shrill whistle on a necklace around his neck, causing Jaden and Chazz to jump, startled. "That's enough. You two are done." The proctor droned. "Like hell we are! I still need to cut this cocky little upstart down!" Chazz huffed, despite his legs shaking in protest. "This is not a fight to the death. As is, both of you did very well. You should be proud of yourselves." The proctor said.

Jaden grinned, showing that one of his teeth was knocked out. "Awesome!" He then turned around to see Chancellor Sheppard walking towards him.

"Jaden Yuki, you have far surpassed any expectations we could have had for you. To be able to fight Chazz like that is very impressive to say the least. As headmaster of this prestigious academy, I offer you a promotion to Ra Yellow." It pained Sheppard to offer such a slacker a chance to move up the ranks, but rules were rules, and Jaden was far too powerful to stay in Slifer Red.

"Why thank you, Chancellor!" Jaden said facetiously.

"I can't believe Jaden got promoted after only two weeks!" Syrus said sadly that evening. 'I guess we're on our own now, Chum." Chumley stared impassively at his computer screen, not really caring. However, Jaden entered the Slifer Red dorm, not wearing the canary yellow of the Ra dorm, but his red uniform.

"Hey, Sy!" He said happily. Syrus gaped at Jaden's clothes. "Jaden. You had the opportunity to sleep in an hospitable environment, take decent showers, have a working laundry machine, and a real bed. And you passed it up. Why?" Syrus said, growing outraged. Jaden laughed easily. "Well, you do have good points. But if I stay here, not only do I get to share a room with my best buds-" he nudged Chumley in the shoulder and winked at Syrus, who was shocked- "I am also underestimated by opponents, and less is expected of me in general. I'd prefer to fly under the radar, if I can." he explained. Syrus smiled. Having the brown-haired slacker always made things more fun.

A/N

Greetings, lovely readers, and thank you for reading the fourth chapter of Kids With Swords!

I hope you all understand that the viewpoints of the characters do not always agree with mine. You do not have to agree with them either, but I hope you, as a reader, can understand the philosophies of the characters and the ensuing conflicts between them that are represented in the fights. Chazz and Jaden are fighting because their ideas about life are different, not just because they dislike each other, although that is also a significant factor.

Stay tuned, because next Saturday's chapter is going to be a big one!

**Review Responses**

**You gave Alexis the perfect Zanpaktou I must say suits her personality and the stature at the academy and personally it's good that's not all just OC swords because it can get confusing when trying to grasp the abilities of new things in mass. Jaden got his ass kicked that's a change of pace makes sense though for this story, Alexis is one of the elite and she has Bankai which I still shudder at from seeing the Jaden's growth be similar to Ichigo, wait and see I suppose, nice to see he's more aware of the opposite sex in this story more then the anime lol casual flirting between Jaden and Alexis would be good to see slowly good job!** -Lightningblade49

Thanks again for reviewing, sir! By the way, I checked out your story Deck of Ninjas and quite liked it. Anyways, when it comes to Zanpakuto, there will be many imports from the Bleach canon. However, many of the main characters will have original swords. As far as Jaden's characterization goes, I realize that him having an inner demon in the form of The Supreme King is quite similar to Ichigo and his Inner Hollow/Zangetsu. However, Jaden will be unlike Ichigo in that his power will rise consistently throughout the story, and in the fact that he has more than one move. Thanks again for reviewing, and I hope you continue to read the story!


	5. STAY GOLD

_Power cannot coexist with love._

The end of September arrived, bringing a slight crispness to the air, although that was the only symptom of autumn the tropical island felt. One cold, clear night, a woman wearing black sweatpants and a grey hoodie stood in the chill. She stood across from an old, broken-down building that smelt of musty, rotting wood. The windows were cracked. In front of the door stood a small cemetery. The woman lowered her hood, revealing dirty-blond hair that could only belong to Alexis. She held a bright red rose in her hand. She set it down gently on an untouched headstone that said "Atticus Rhodes" in grim lettering. She then raised her hood and left the area.

On the very same night, Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley were cooped up in the dorm watching horror movies. The disgusting smell of potato chips and marijuana smoke filled the premises, the only light coming from the TV screen.

Despite his more relaxed disposition, Syrus was still falling for the jumpscares. Chumley and Jaden, being the jaded horror aficionados they were, only betrayed raised eyebrows at the fright. "It would be pretty cool if life was like a horror movie, wouldn't it?" Jaden said. "No." Both of his roommates responded simultaneously. "Well, it wouldn't be cool getting horribly murdered," Jaden hastily backtracked. "But the constant sense of being on the edge of your seat would be amazing!" Jaden said toothily. "Well, I can appreciate some rest and relaxation once in a while, thank you very much!" Syrus pouted. Chumley noisily chomped on potato chips.

"You know, I think there might be something like a horror movie on this very island, Jaden." "Yeah, OK, Chumley." Jaden sarcastically responded.

"I'm serious! Come on, you've never heard of the abandoned dorm? It's the stuff of legends around here!" Chumley said. "That's the place where those 20 honor students got viciously murdered. Apparently it happened around 5 years ago."

Jaden stroked his chin. "Well, that does sound right up my alley. Gentlemen, why don't we check this place out tomorrow night?" Jaden said with devious intent. "Chum, you'll have to finally come with us! I have no idea where this place is."

Chumley let a monstrous growl out. "Ugh, what a hassle. I guess I'll go if I have to." "That's the spirit! Syrus, are you ready to check out this haunted dorm!?" Unfortunately, Syrus had crawled underneath his beanbag, cowering from the horror movie. "No! There's no way I'm going with! I swear, it's like you guys want to be possessed by demons or something!" Syrus whimpered. J

aden frowned. "Syrus, why are so scared? It's gonna be fun!" Jaden grabbed Syrus by his collar and rustled him. "No! It's gonna be scary!" "Syrus, it might be scary, but it will only be frightening once. Then you will have conquered your fear! This is a great opportunity for you to build some confidence!" Jaden said with fire in his eyes. Syrus looked him in the eyes. "…fine. I'm so gonna regret this." "It's settled, then! Off to the abandoned dorm at midnight tomorrow!"

At the same time, two shadowy figures were standing on the pier, near the academy's lighthouse. The lighthouse sent out a baleful, pale light upon the sea, giving the ocean a ghostly aura. The two figures were almost complete opposites in dress. Dr. Crowler was still dressed in a frilled Obelisk Blue uniform with long coattails and thigh-high boots.

The figure across from him, however, gave off a much more menacing air. He was a heavyset figure, wearing a black trenchcoat and a matching fedora. Heavy silver bracelets were attached to his wrists. However, his most menacing feature was a silver mask that covered his eyes and nose, exposing his square jaw.

"What did you call me here for? I'm a very busy man. And frankly, you're not my type." The man growled. Crowler tutted at the insult. "I have a very specific job for you, Titan. I have a student that is giving me a lot of trouble in my classes."

"So you want me to kill him?" Titan said eagerly.

"Uh, no. I just want you to strike the fear of God into the sorry little shit. Rough him up a bit. Really ham it up." Titan smirked. "Sounds like fun. However, it'll cost you. And I'm talking cash, not sexual favors."

"Why do you keep assuming I'm interested in you? You're way too butch." Crowler corrected. "Whatever. I want triple my usual rate. And I want it now." Titan quickly drew a sword and pointed it at Crowler, who took out a stack of cash in response. Titan flipped through the stack of bills, swiftly counting. He sheathed his sword. "Excellent. You are fortunate enough to escape from the lion's den, Norman Goldstein." With that, he vanished a growing cloud of smoke. Crowler took a step back and leaned against the lighthouse, smiling because Titan did not know his real name.

After suffering through another day of classes, the Slifers spent the rest of the day throwing a Frisbee around at the beach. When night came, the sky was starry and bright. "Beautiful. You know, one of the pluses of being on an island is that you can see the night sky really well."

_"And I have some special people to share it with."_ Jaden did not verbalize the last part, as he would probably be called out for being cheesy. "Let's run back to the dorm and get a flashlight real quick." Chumley suggested. They ran back to the dorm, only to find Professor Banner waiting for them in the hallway leading to their bedroom.

He slowly stroked Pharaoh, an eerie smile never leaving his face. "You know, it's midnight. You gentlemen should probably go to bed. You have classes tomorrow, after all." Syrus and Chumley cowered in fear, thinking of nothing to say.

Jaden smirked."Actually, teach, we were thinking of going to check out that abandoned dorm tonight. I hear it's haunted or something. Some kids died there, you know. You wanna come with us?"

Banner never changed expression. "How interesting. Well, Jaden, your audacity never ceases to amaze me. It's like you don't even think before speaking."

"Uh, thanks?" Jaden made the mistake of blinking; he normally made sure he never took his sight off of Banner for a second, but he couldn't help it. When he blinked, Banner disappeared. The trio stood stock still for several minutes, not daring to move a muscle. It was Syrus who finally found the courage to speak. "I think he's letting us go…" With that, they silently grabbed the flashlight and ran as far as they could from the building as fast as they could.

Under Chumley's guidance, the Slifer trio weaved through the dense forest at the west end of the island. Finally, they arrived at a small clearing, where the broken down house stood, a hollowed shell of what it once was. "Well, last chance to turn back…" Syrus moaned. "I sure hope something doesn't sneak up on us!" Jaden laughed, playing up his fake fright to scare Syrus, who looked dangerously close to crying.

Before the group could continue inside, a figure jumped out from the dense, shadowy foliage the forest offered. Jaden felt a smooth, icy-cold hand cover his mouth. The shadowy figure was Alexis, wearing a grey hoodie and sweatpants. She pressed Jaden against her body, her breasts squishing against his back.

"It's a nice night, isn't it Jaden?" She whispered into his ear. "A night so nice, one could only dream of it..." Her hot breath was at great contrast with her cold body. Jaden was in a daze, and yet her touch was tactile, lucid to his memory. Syrus and Chumley jumped back about ten feet, Chumley somehow managing to hurdle the fence while Syrus fell into a bush.

While they collected themselves, Alexis released Jaden, who immediately felt both relief and longing in his heart. "Oh please, you're something out of a nightmare, Alexis." "But is it a nightmare you want to wake from?" She smirked, her hazel eyes dully boring into Jaden's brown ones.

Chumley decided to break the ice. "What the hell are you doing here? You nearly gave me a heart attack, and Syrus pissed himself again!" Alexis grinned. "Perhaps he should invest in a diaper. However, I should be the one asking what you losers are doing here." Jaden's easy charisma came back once Chumley spoke up. It seemed he could only handle Alexis while she was alone and he was in a group.

"We heard this place was haunted, and we wanted to check it out. Not much else to it." Alexis' smile immediately transformed into cold disapproval. "You have the gall to come here, when you know how many kids went missing? Besides, coming here is against the rules."

"So what?" Jaden replied flippantly. Before he knew it, Alexis had drawn Sode no Shirayuki, and had it held directly at Jaden's throat.

"One of the students that died here was my brother. I come here every night to pay my respects. If you aren't going to leave because of respect for the rules, you will leave because I don't appreciate you direspecting my brother's gravesite."

She took the sword away from Jaden's throat, looking sad. "I'm sorry. But this is important to me." She frowned. Jaden felt bad about Alexis' brother, but in his mind, the prospect of danger was too much to resist. Just as he was about to say something, she flash stepped away.

All three of the Slifers let out breath they did not realize they were holding. "Jaden, maybe we should leave…" Chumley suggested.

Jaden snarled. "No way! She thinks she can order me around just because she beat me!" "Jaden, I don't think that's really the issue!" Syrus said. "I don't care. I want to go into this abandoned dorm, so I will. If you guys wanna leave, that's fine. I won't look down on you for it." Syrus and Chumley hardened their resolve. "Nah! We came here to have some fun, and that's what we're gonna do!" Chumley said. Jaden smiled. "You know, Chumley, you've changed, a bit. I'm really glad you came with today, even if it was a pain in the ass for you." Chumley merely fist bumped Jaden, and they continued on into the abandoned dorm.

The inside of the building was just as dark as they expected, and the boys made good use of their flashlights. The beam of light shined on dusty furniture and strange murals in the walls.

"What is this?" Jaden shined his flashlight on a tablet hanging on the wall. On the tablet were lines of Egyptian hieroglyphs, paired with carvings. The carvings were of a group of items. A ring, a puzzle in the shape of a pyramid, a scepter, a set of scales, a necklace (or maybe it was a bracelet?), a weird, key-looking object, and a ball. All of the items had the eye of Wdjat on them, a symbol of godhood in ancient Egypt.

"What are these? Some old artifacts?' Jaden wondered. "Yeah. These are the Millennium Items. I hear they used to have some sort of unimaginable power, one even greater than a Bankai. From what I read, they were sealed away. They ancient Egyptians were the first to ever discover the power of the Zanpakuto. Apparently, a Pharaoh sealed these items away using his sword." Syrus elucidated. "Wow, you are quite learned in Egyptian mythology." "It's one of my general electives."

Suddenly, a baritone voice sounded in each of the Slifer's ears. The evil laugh instilled a sense of dread into their minds. Across the room, candles spontaneously sparked, creating faint orange light throughout the dusty room. Without preamble, the wood floorboards collapsed under the boys' feet. As they fell the basement, the three of them gathered reiatsu to flash step, avoiding injury. The basement of the dorm was a four-walled chamber of concrete, lacking any posters and decorum whatsoever. From the floor above, black smoke drifted in a snake-like crawl over the wood boards.

Titan stood over the three Slifers, an intense leer on his face.

"Oh, hello. How's it going?" Jaden attempted to make conversation after a brief silence. Jaden did not believe that this man had any malicious intent, just because he looked menacing. He hated judging by appearances, but he could not shake an inescapable trepidation that smothered his thoughts.

Titan sneered, "Let's see, red jacket, brown hair, surrounded by two goons. One fat, one tiny. You must be Jaden Yuki." Jaden bristled. "Yeah, so what?" Titan smirked, then drew a short sword, only about half as long as Jaden's Zanpakuto. To Jaden's surprise, Syrus and Chumley also drew their blades. "You guys have swords?" Jaden said in mock surprise. "I thought you guys were supposed to stand on the sidelines and cheer me on."

"Why do you wanna fight us? We mean no harm to you!" Chumley roared in a surprising display of bravery. "Money, dear boy. I'm being paid very well to put the fear of God into you, so that's what I'm doing." "You're a hitman? Who could possibly have a hit out on us? Jaden, are you involved in some kind of loan deficit?" Syrus questioned.

Jaden laughed. "No, I always pay my dealers up front. The only person who could afford a professional assassination is Chazz. He mentioned he was from a rich family. But I don't think he wants me dead." Jaden pondered. "To correct, I was not hired to kill you. I was hired to make you leave this school, so we can avoid this entirely if you just peaceably escort yourselves from the island." Titan rationed.

All three of the boys were appropriately outraged. "What is it with the people here? I have never harmed anyone! I swear, if I ever find out who hired you, I'm gonna put them behind bars before I sue every last penny off of them!" Jaden's body soundlessly exploded in a blaze of spiritual pressure. His words dripped with poison, like a violent emission. He glared at Titan, his brown eyes beginning to shift color towards gold.

**"Daiyu no Hoshi: Kajugan!** (Hero of the Stars: Cragged Rock)**" **Using the ground underneath their feet, Jaden caused jagged stalagmites to jut from the floor, destroying the concrete floor they stood on. Titan quickly avoided the spikes by way of flash step. Jaden manipulated the rock structures, bending them in unnatural and unpredictable ways.

As Titan evaded the attack, Syrus appeared behind him. **"Bakudo #4, Hainwa!"** Syrus poured large amounts of spiritual pressure into the binding spell. The yellow light rope coiled around the hitman, who was caught off guard from trying to defend from Jaden. The cragged rock spike accelerated towards Titan, seconds away from impaling him. He smirked.

"**Tozase, Arekuro Akuma**." (Imprison, Black Raging Demon) Black reiatsu burst from Titan's chest, effortlessly destroying Syrus' weak kido. The opaque black aura enveloped the imposing man. Jaden's stalagmites crumbled under the spiritual pressure that emerged from the man.

When the blackness disappeared, Titan's sword was completely different. It transformed from a short blade into a long, ornate scimitar. One edge of the blade was serrated like a razor, the other side smooth and sharp. The handle was red, with gold bangles attached to it. However, the most jarring change was not in the sword. Black wings made of concentrated reiatsu sprouted from Titan's back, through his coat. The wingspan was about twice as long as Titan was wide. Jaden, Syrus and Chumley held firm, white-knuckled in focus.

Titan slowly levitated off the ground, his wings beating slowly. "So then, who would like to leave now? You know it is impossible to counter the powers of demon magic!" Jaden and Chumley stood defiantly, while Syrus backed off from the assassin.

"No? What a shame. Of course, what did I expect? Such foolish children like you have no concept of your own mortality. You believe you are invincible, much too clever to fall into harm's way…I will show you just how the real world works!"

Jaden upturned his nose. "Are you gonna stop talking sometime soon-" Jaden's challenge was cut off by a boot to the head, courtesy of Titan. The Slifer flew backwards, a bruise rapidly forming on his head, bells ringing in his mind. Chumley and Syrus swung their Zanpakuto at Titan. Chumley's sword was unusually wide, having two flat sides and a dull edge. Syrus' was a thin katana with a blue and yellow handle. Titan did not move, blocking Chumley's sword with one of his metal gauntlets, while using his sword to deflect Syrus' attack. With minimal force, Syrus was pushed back as Titan used leverage to his advantage.

Chumley dug his feet in, desperately trying to cut past the steel brace that protected Titan. "Such a strange Zanpakuto. It's so dull, it appears to be more fit as a club than a sword." Titan said conversationally. To prove his point, Chumley hefted the blade to his shoulder, taking a heavily telegraphed sideswipe at Titan, who easily ducked under it.

The portly Slifer prepared for an overhead swing. However, before he could slice, Titan had grabbed both of his wrists with one hand, preventing Chumley from moving. **"Majin Mahou; Joo Tame.** (Demon Magic; Queen's Order)" As though he was acted upon by some invisible force, Chumley was hurled into the concrete wall, his body imprinted into the stone. He fell over, and seemed to lose consciousness.

Jaden wildly flung himself at Titan. Both fighters crossed swords and exchanged a flurry of strikes, meeting each other blow for blow. Just as the hitman was about to land a strike, Jaden blew him away using rudimentary wind manipulation. Titan quickly altered his trajectory using one flap of his imposing black wings. **"Majin Mahou: Ao no Honi!** (Demon Magic: Blue Flames)"

"**Gokkakyu**!" Otherworldly cerulean fire emerged from Titan's sword, directing itself in a condensed line towards Jaden, who responded by firing a fireball of his own. The blasts collided. Refusing to swirl and mix, the flames seemed to be repulsed by each other, walling the other fire out. Jaden's cheeks puffed out with strain. "He's strong! But it doesn't matter how strong he is. He is trying to force me out of here, so I'm just gonna have to force him out!" Jaden's mind pounded furiously. However, the blue flames were beginning to overpower him.

Syrus was only able to look on as Jaden was completely engulfed by the demonic blue fire. When it simmered down, Jaden's body was charred, his shirt burned off completely, as well as his shoes. He was splayed on the ground, chocolate eyes staring blankly into the ceiling. His chest still rose and fall, indicating that life clinging to him.

Titan stared grimly at the young boy. He hadn't intended to put that much force into the attack, but he was forced to. He felt a tinge of remorse underneath a stoic façade. "Kid…you alive?" He said in a solemn tone. However, he was not given too much time to reflect.

Syrus rushed him, aiming his small dagger for Titan's throat. Titan had to admit, the kid had a surprising amount of skill with such an unwieldy weapon. However, Titan was able to avoid it easily. "Kid, you should use your shikai, if you have one. It'll help your chances a bit." At the mention of it, Syrus froze up. Through his eyes, memories flashed and flickered.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Syrus then switched his fighting style, confusing the assassin. One second, he held his blade in a reverse grip, then he held it in his opposite hand. Titan was forced on the retreat, bounding back in one flash step. A stream of blue fire flowed from his fingertips, keeping Syrus at bay. Titan allowed himself a breather, which was a mistake Chumley capitalized on. "**Crush, Gegetsuburi**!" The hitman was very surprised to find himself defending from a weapon most unusual compared to other swords.

Chumley Huffington was not a great fighter, or even a good one. He was not exceptionally athletic, intelligent, or really capable in any aspect of his life. He was reminded of this by his old classmates, those who went on to graduate while he slipped through the cracks. It was through an overwhelming sense of apathy that his Zanpakuto, a blade that never saw battle once before that day, spoke to him. Now, Chumley held his blade's power with a sense of excitement that was almost out-of-character for him. Gegetsuburi was an oversized, black iron ball attached to a chain. The mace was covered in spikes.

Chumley jerked his wrist forward, causing the spiked ball to fly towards Titan. Titan gripped his ornate blade with both hands, trying to defend himself from the unorthodox weapon. The mace slammed into the flat side of the blade, its weight knocking Titan off balance. Chumley took advantage of the opportunity, landing a strong right hook to the hitman's gut. He then scrambled back, lugging the ball and chain with him.

Titan wheezed, trying to regain his breath. Even though the fat boy seemed to have an advantage, Titan knew why he stepped back. It seemed that the boy's Zanpakuto was extremely impractical for extended combat, due to its weight and shape. However, the Slifer seemed to wield it with some skill. "What a fascinating Zanpakuto. You are some interesting children." Titan acknowledged.

Chumley picked up the iron ball, swinging it above his head. He was panting, even though he really hadn't done a whole lot. "I can't really…talk….this fighting is way too much exercise!" Chumley then flung the ball again, the assassin lazily raising his sword to defend. Chumley yanked the chain back as he ran forward, catching the ball in his hands. He then bashed Titan with the ball, using it as a pure melee weapon. Titan successfully avoided concussive damage by raising his blade, but he was forced back by Chumley's leverage.

Syrus, who was momentarily surprised by the fact that Chumley was actually fighting, decided to take advantage of a potential opening. "**Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and Pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south!** **Hado #31, Shakkaho** (Red Flame Cannon)!" A dense, bright orb of red energy formed in Syrus' palm. He then fired it, the recoil knocking him off of his feet. Syrus grunted and rubbed his tailbone, embarrassed that his attempt to look badass somewhat failed.

The fiery sphere hurtled towards Titan, who was too engaged with Chumley to dodge. The blast slammed into his wing, throwing him through one of the concrete walls of the abandoned dorm. Then, a vermillion explosion rocked the foundations of the already decrepit building. Chumley had to jump back to avoid being caught up in the attack as well. He then shot a glare over to Syrus. "Geez, you could have waited for me to get out of the way!"

Syrus sheepishly rubbed his turquoise hair. "My bad, Chum. I can't really control that spell, even with the full incantation. It sapped my energy too. I can't do much more than that. But that doesn't matter, we need to check on Jaden!" The two exhausted Slifers ran over to their injured companion, who hadn't moved from the spot he was burned at. His dull brown eyes slowly hovered over to his companions, who looked at him with more caring then he would expect.

"You guys won? Wow, who would've thought…" He slowly croaked out. Chumley snorted. "Thanks, asshole. I went absolutely ham there. That's more exercise than I've ever gotten!" Chumley then plopped his massive posterior onto the ground, sweating profusely. Syrus breathed in relief. "You know, that was quite the adventure." He said with a small smile at Jaden.

However, that smile was soon replaced with shock and anguish. Syrus looked down at his chest to find Titan's scimitar had completely impaled him through the torso. He quivered for a second, then passed out in shock. Jaden's eyes became as small as pinheads. His recovering breath caught in his burned lungs, his mind frozen.

Titan stood over the Slifer Red boys with a grave determination on his face. The right side of his jacket was burned off, and he had a spot of charred, bloodied flesh underneath. Other than that, he was devoid of injuries. "I apologize. But I must complete my mission. No matter what it takes." In a fit of rage, Chumley ran towards the cold killer with Gegetsuburi. "**Joo Tame**." Chumley's momentum was again halted. The portly chap was flung backwards into a heap of old firewood, collapsing. His Zanpakuto once again returned to it's sealed form, the katana clattering on the ground.

Titan turned around. "There. It is done. If you boys are still alive after that, you will leave. If you don't, I will simply come back and make sure you do. That's how it is."

What the gun-for-hire did not realize was that the job was far from finished. Jaden's eyes turned a bright gold, and his sclera were flooded with blackness, as though ink had spilled into his eye. He slowly levitated from the ground, as though dangling from puppet strings. The burns on his body healed so quickly, it seemed sped up. His charred flesh became clean and toned, like a butterfly emerging from a black cocoon. The smile of a homicidal maniac adorned Jaden's normally boyish features, making him look like a completely different person.

He snatched Titan's shoulder, causing the man to turn around sharply. With one look, Titan could see that the boy he was fighting earlier had gone out to lunch. Asking no questions, He jumped backwards, flaring his spiritual pressure. A hyena's cackle rang from Jaden's vocal chords, a sound deeply unnerving, even to a cold man like Titan.

"**At last**." The voice was a sick perversion of Jaden's, higher and shriller. "**Such a glorious day this is. A hero of the stars has deigned to visit this mortal coil!**" Red tendrils of twisted reiatsu steamed from the boy's body. Titan's teeth began to chatter unconsciously. "You are no hero… your reiatsu is that of pure darkness!"

The boy laughed a horrible laugh again. "**Those are some nice wings you have there. Your Zanpakuto has some darkness to it as well. They say that the Zanpakuto is the manifestation of its controller's very soul. Your soul is indeed a dark place.**" They stood stock still, until Titan spontaneously decided to make the first move. Blue fire fanned in a wave towards the possessed Jaden, who made no effort to dodge. The heat washed over him.

Titan clenched his teeth in increasing worry. The fire dissipated. Jaden stood in the exact same spot, unaffected by the attack. The gold eyes stared directly into Titan's very soul. Without warning, the ground dissolved under Titan's feet, it's density altered in less than a second. Sand, dirt, and clay then hardened, trapping Titan's feet in the ground, rendering him incapable of movement. The monster slowly walked up to the assassin.

"**You attempted to take our lives. Life, the ultimate freedom. It's so easy to murder for you humans. You hide behind some excuse, some grander design. It's a lot different once you realize how fragile you really are…**" Titan shuddered. "Just kill me already. I have no desire to hear you wax philosophical." The assassin did not mince words. Another howling bout of laughter. "**You are far too willing to accept death. No, you will fight for your life. Release your Bankai now.**"

The ground once again loosened around Titan's black boots, granting him freedom. "What makes you think I possess Bankai, me, a gun for hire?" The boy did not lower his gaze for a moment. "Fine. If you are a demon, then I am the devil himself!" Titan took his sword and cut open the palm of his hand. Using his index finger, he traced the blood across the blade. "**Bankai, Akuma Abikyokan**. (Final Release: Demon's Agonizing Cries)" His sword erupted in a dark purple miasma, enveloping the room in violet haze. Jaden's gold eyes pierced through the fog, a constant presence during the transformation.

When the transformation ended, Titan's sword had disappeared completely. In it's place, Titan's right arm had become outfitted with medieval black plating all the way up to the shoulder. The shiny armor ended with a set of stainless steel claws covering Titan's fingers. Otherwise, there was no change to his outward appearance.

Jaden gazed on impassively. **"That's all? Usually a Zanpakuto's Bankai is a lot more grandiose."** Titan snarled. "**Majin Mahou:** **Fragor!** (Demon Magic: Ground-Shaking Explosion)**"** Suddenly, The black plated arm stretched out, far beyond the parameters of human biology. The hand grabbed Jaden by the throat and slammed him into the wall. He showed no visible signs of pain. **"So that's all there is-"** Suddenly, four black rods materialized from seemingly nowhere, pinning Jaden's arms and legs to the wall.

The boy being completely restrained, Titan took the opportunity to abandon all pretense of dignified combat. He ran up to the detained Slifer and began wailing on him, a veritable barrage of punches. He then jumped back, cupping his hands. Again, the blue fire washed over the boy. When the smoke cleared, Titan used Joo Tame to hurl Jaden across the room, slamming him on the floor and ceiling repeatedly. By the time the barrage had ended, Jaden's body was a blackened, bruised, and bleeding corpse. However, the wounds quit bleeding, the cuts patched up, the burns disappearing as though they had never been. The boy stood up again. **"Is that really the best you can do?"** Jaden slowly walked towards Titan, who had his back against the wall.

"Who the hell are you?" The assassin showed genuine fear for the first time. Jaden laughed, a sound that would haunt nightmares. "**Who cares? Because when I'm done with you, you're gonna-"** "Disappear." The boy's movement had completely halted. The gold eyes were filled with fear. **"What the fuck do you think you're doing?! Don't you see, I was about to kill him!"** "I don't care who you are, but you need to stop interfering with my life!" Gold eyes faded back to chocolate brown, unnatural black sclera once again bleached. The real Jaden was back.

Titan's fear left him, instead occupied by the crazed laughter of someone who had survived a perilous experience. "You should have stayed in that form. Now, we are right back to square one." "Like I care. I have no idea what just happened. But it doesn't matter. That thing… it wasn't me. I would never say what that creature said."

Jaden drew his sword. "Let's finish this!" Jaden lunged at Titan one last time. The assassin blocked each of Jaden's weak slashes with his arm. "**Daitoppen**!" Wind slowly gathered around Jaden's blade, but it was nowhere near as strong as it was at full power. The blade grinded on Titan's arm, causing sparks to fly. Jaden then quickly lunged at Titan's heart, only for the wind-enhanced sword to bounce off like he just hit a stone wall.

"What? How come I can't cut you, ya crazy hitman?" Titan smirked. "Your strikes have become slow and predictable as your body weakens. However, it wouldn't matter, even if your eyes turned gold again. You see, my Bankai's power lies not in the array of demon magic I can conjure up. It lies in increased defenses. My reiatsu has condensed, to the point that even a released Zanpakuto bounces off harmlessly. There is nothing you can do now!" Titan grabbed Eiyu No Hoshi, then backhanded Jaden, causing the boy to sprawl on the floor. Jaden quickly stood up again, his vision blurry.

Suddenly, Jaden began to chuckle. "Man, I really gave it my all." He said quietly. seemingly accepting his fate. Titan raised his hand once more, prepared to kill Jaden. "Majin Mahou-" **"San No Mai."**

A blade of the purest ice formed through Titan's sternum. Alexis walked out from the shadows, her eyes focused. The blade broke off, and the hitman fell to the floor, dead. Jaden failed to react to the death of the assassin.

Jaden smiled over at Alexis. "Sorry. I looked around the abandoned dorm anyway." To his surprise, she did not respond with rage or cold disapproval. "I figured you would. After you and this guy started fighting, I came back and cast Bakudo #2 over the whole dorm. No one should have been able to sense any human energy coming from here."

_"However, I sensed something else coming from you, especially when your eyes changed color." _She thought.

"Well, thanks for that. After all, I don't wanna have to deal with Crowler anytime soon. You're not still mad at me, are you?" He said cutely. Alexis sheathed her sword. "I'm not mad. Your lives were just in danger. In fact, I have no doubt you would be dead if I didn't bail you out." She mocked. "Hey now, I made a pretty good account of myself!"

"You did. But it doesn't matter now. We need to get your friends patched up. I'm not that good at healing kido, but their injuries could be worse. That, combined with their low reiatsu levels, means they should be fine." "Good." Jaden sighed in relief.

"I wonder why that guy was after us in the first place. He said he was hired to make us leave the island." Jaden said. Alexis gathered green energy in her hands, waving them over Chumley and Syrus, whose burns and cuts began to heal.

"Crowler. He hates you guys." She said succinctly. "Really? So much he would assassinate us? Wha-Who does that?!" Jaden snapped. "I'm guessing he just hired Titan to scare you guys. Not to kill you. That part was probably Titan's idea. Did you sense his reiatsu? It was darker than any I've ever felt." She said.

"I suppose. Still, I'm gonna sue him so hard!" "I wouldn't bother, Jaden. He probably used an alias. You don't want cops coming around here anyway, right?" "True. By the way, are Chumley and Syrus healed yet? I bet you're taking so long because you're too busy staring at my sexy shirtless body!" Jaden gave a cat-like smirk, only to receive a withering glare from the Obelisk Queen.

Chumley and Syrus came to after awhile. They were filled in by Jaden and Alexis on what happened, minus the part about Jaden's disturbing transformation. Chumley yawned loudly. "Well, we can worry about Crowler later. Right now, we should go get some sleep. I've had enough adventure for one night." Syrus grunted.

Jaden nudged him in the arm and grinned. "Come on, you had fun. You need to come out of your shell a bit, Sy." "In a way, I did come out of my shell a bit, considering that lunatic nearly skinned me. But it was a little fun, I guess." Syrus blushed. Alexis gave a small giggle, while Chumley barked a laugh. With that, the newly forged friends trekked out of the abandoned dorm, taking care to spit on the corpse of the bounty hunter as they left.

The moon was a ripe orange, the stars blotted out by its intensity and size. Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, and Alexis walked through the winding forest path, in no hurry to reach their destination. Eventually, they reached the pier. The only sound was provided by waves crashing into the concrete dock.

Chumley and Syrus hustled back to the dorm, succumbing to an epic need for sleep. Jaden and Alexis stayed by the dock, looking at the boats rock in the water. Jaden sat on the ground, leaning against a pole. Alexis had her hands in her pockets, standing. After awhile, the silence ended.

"You know, it was pretty irresponsible to drag your friends into that. They could have been killed." Alexis said.

Jaden put his hands behind his head. "I didn't expect that to happen, you know. But really, it was for the best." She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And who are you to decide that? It was your foolishness that almost cost them everything!"

"Syrus and Chumley are enslaved by their own self-doubt and expectations. They are held back by security. For them to be truly badass, they must learn to go beyond their safety net." He said. "Don't you think they should do that of their own accord?" "They would never have to courage to. They need a push." Alexis soaked his words in for a long time.

"Hey Alexis." "Yeah?" "Thank you for saving me back there. I'm sorry I disrespected you earlier. It was thoughtless of me." Jaden said in a rare moment of humility. Alexis' face was gentle, another rare occurrence. "I'll let it slide. After all, you do tend to keep me entertained, at the very least." At the same time, they stood up, and looked into each other's eyes for a very long time. "Good night." Jaden finally said. They silently returned to their dorms.

A/N

Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the fifth chapter of Kids With Swords! This chapter was certainly action-packed, and this will pale in comparison to the battles Jaden and company will face later.

As I'm sure many of you noticed, the Supreme King taking over Jaden's body was highly similar to the way Hollow Ichigo took over his host during the battle with Byakuya in the Soul Society arc. I mean it as a homage, and The Supreme King will not be a carbon copy of Hollow Ichigo in the future.

If it pleases you, tell me how you liked the characterization of Titan! I enjoyed writing him quite a bit, as unlike canon, Titan here is no fraud. In fact, he holds the distinction of the first Bankai being shown in KWS, so that's gotta count for something.

Otherwise, watch out for the next chapter of Kids With Swords next Saturday, as we will be introduced to Zane Truesdale, and yes, he's going to OP beyond belief. See ya next time!


	6. LIVE LIKE A WARRIOR

_Experience does not permit arrogance. _

The week passed by as it normally did. Jaden went to classes by day and parties by night while Syrus or sometimes Bastion did his homework. Bastion, due to his mechanical efficiency in regards to work, was capable of doing up to ten students' homework a day, for a fee, of course. Chumley had already worked a payment plan out with the Ra Yellow, who had become rich quickly by running what amounted to an underground homework trust. Strangely, none of the teachers thought it suspicious when he ordered in expensive new furniture for his dorm room, nor when he decided to lease waterfront property in the Caribbean.

Jaden and Alexis had begun interacting on a regular basis, sometimes studying together, or going to the school's coffee shop. Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley felt a sense of fellowship around each other that could only be obtained from surviving a harrowing experience together. Their camaraderie was so infectious, Bastion and Alexis found themselves looking at the Slifers with affection.

On a foggy, cold night, Alexis walked alone towards the solitary lighthouse. Its bright beam shone into the night, keeping the mist from enclosing everything. Standing proudly at the pier was Zane Truesdale, the Obelisk Blue senior. His arms were crossed, his coattails staying perfectly in place. The man was so deep in thought, he could have been mistaken for a statue.

His slate blue eyes did not move for one instant. "The dawn is still so far away, isn't it?" Alexis eyed him strangely. "How long have you been here?" "You know I always come here after training." "Oh, that's right. For a second I thought maybe you developed a social life." She snarked. He did not look at her. Then, he suddenly flash stepped away. Tracing his reiatsu easily, she followed him back to his room. While Obelisks normally received accommodations characteristic of five-star hotels, Zane had gotten the best room in the entire dorm, due to his enormous wealth, status, and power. Alexis had barely appeared in the room when she was slammed onto the cushy mattress by Zane. "Oh, are you worked up about something?" She said drily. "Hardly." he smirked.

Saturday mornings were nothing short of lethargic around the Slifer Red dorm. The sun was rising over the crashing waves while the students were sleeping in. At 7:59 AM, the serenity of the dorm was palpable. Even Professor Banner, who normally never slept, was tucked into his favorite cat pajamas. However, at 8 AM, that all changed.

Armored, steel-gray trucks rolled up to the premises unceremoniously. Boots clamped against the ground; fifty soldiers filed from the back of the trucks. The Slifer Red Dorm was surrounded. German Sheppards were barely restrained on leashes, and M16's were trained on the front door of Jaden's room. Three officers marched up the wooden steps to the patio that housed Jaden's room. One of them roughly knocked on the fragile door. "Campus Security! Open up immediately!"

Jaden, Syrus and Chumley quickly cleaned up their room, throwing blunts in the toilet and getting dressed in nanoseconds. Jaden opened the door. "Jeez, isn't it a little early for this crap?" Jaden's glib attitude disappeared as soon as he saw three pistols pointed directly at his head. "Don't move! Put your hands in the air! You and your blue-haired butt buddy are under arrest!"

Jaden and Syrus peaceably put their hands up, and were escorted to the trucks, guns pressed into their backs. "Don't you think this is a little much? We're just high school students!" Jaden said. One of the officers slapped him across the face. "Shut the hell up! Don't say another word, I swear to God! Scum like you make me sick!" The dogs barked menacingly as silent tears dripped down Syrus' face. Jaden snarled in anger. "Back off! Can't you see that he's scared? Besides, we never did a damn thing!" The cops shoved him into the trunk, holding his head against the floor until they reached the administration office.

Banner had left his bedroom to find that troops had begun taping up the dorm. A helicopter hovered over the tool shed-like building. His characteristic grin never left his face, and his eyes never opened. Campus Cops trained their guns on him. "Go back to sleep, Professor. Nothing to see here." He said with obvious fear. Banner vanished for a moment, only to appear one inch from the cop's face. "This is an adorable setup you have going on here, officer. However, I really don't feel like waking up to a crime scene. So I am going back to bed, and if I see any of this when I wake up again….well, it would displease me." The police had evacuated the premises before Banner even closed his door.

Jaden and Syrus were taken to Principal Sheppard's office, where both he and Crowler were reading a police report. Jaden held an unflinching gaze at Crowler the whole time, his eyes burning with stale anger.

"Jaden, my boy, this is very serious." Sheppard said solemnly. "Indeed, this an offense punishable by expulsion!" Crowler said in mock concern. "Oh really? And what offense are you referring to?" Jaden asked in a cold drawl. "We have evidence that you two were in the abandoned dorm exactly seven days ago, and that you raised quite a ruckus in there." Sheppard said. Jaden's mind raced furiously. How could it be that only he and Syrus were being incriminated for this offense? Was it possible that Chumley or Alexis snitched? He couldn't mention anything about the other two though, or else they would be dragged into this.

Fortunately, Sheppard proceeded to answer Jaden's unspoken question. "We saw the two of you on a security camera by the abandoned dorm. We almost thought we saw a third person, but nothing ever showed up on screen." Syrus shuddered. Oh, how he wished he could have as fortunate as Chumley, to escape the camera's sight by a hair's breadth!

"Listen, we'll do whatever you say, but please, don't expel us!" Syrus pleaded. Crowler smirked. "In that case, I have an alternate idea. You two will fight in a 2-on-2 tag match! If you two can prove you will be valuable assets to the Academy in the future, then all charges will be cleared!" Jaden's anger was alleviated, somewhat. The idea of fighting a strong opponent sounded fun, as did teaming up with Syrus. "And who will we be fighting?" "Your opponents will be revealed to you at a later date! As is, the match will be in seven days, so train and prepare as much as you can! Is this final, Principal?" Crowler snapped at Sheppard. He nodded. "Very well, if there is no other choice."

A few hours later, Chumley walked into Principal Sheppard's office, a despondent look on his chubby face. "Principal, I have to tell you something. I was at the abandoned dorm that night too! I should at least take some of the blame, and fight with Jaden and Syrus!" He wailed. Sheppard stroked his chin. "I thought you didn't like to fight, Chumley." He said neutrally. "I don't, really; it's too much work. But I feel like I have to help my friends. We went in together, so we should face the music together."

Sheppard smiled. However, before he could answer, Alexis walked into the room. "Professor; I too was present at the abandoned dorm. I was the one that cast the Bakudo, which was eventually broken by the intensity of the fight." She said with surgical dryness. "Sir, allow me to fight with Jaden and Syrus. I know you don't approve of what Crowler is doing. If I fought with them, we would surely win."

Her logic made sense, but Sheppard shook his head. "I admire and respect the bravery and honesty you two showed by coming to me about this. It shows loyalty to your friends, and a desire for justice. Unfortunately, Crowler has already selected who their opponents are, and the PTA has already ruled in favor of Jaden and Syrus fighting to stay enrolled. I can't overturn a decision that has already been made. I apologize, but there's not much we can do."

Chumley trudged back to the dorm, depressed over how his conversation with Principal Sheppard went. Jaden sat at his desk listening to music, while Syrus paced expectantly around the threadbare carpet. When Chumley opened the door, Syrus clutched at the portly man's shirt. "Well? How did it go?" Syrus' eyes were bloodshot, fingernails gnawed to pieces. "Sorry, he said you and Jaden had to fight. Alexis showed up too, but she couldn't convince him either." Jaden took his headphones off. "Oh well. That just means we have to win, I suppose." Syrus glared at him, cursing his glib attitude.

"Jaden, what could you possibly be so carefree about? If we lose, we are on the next bus out of here!" Jaden laughed out loud for about 30 seconds. "We're on an island! How are we gonna take a bus!?" He cracked up again.

Syrus sighed in defeat. "He's delusional." Chumley crawled back into his bed. "You know, I was reading about this strange thing people do to get stronger." Syrus snapped, "What is it?!" "I believe it was referred to as training." Syrus mulled it over. "Fascinating. Jaden, do you think we should try it?" Jaden nodded. "I have no idea how you really fight, so we should have a quick spar to evaluate each other's abilities."

Jaden and Syrus took a short walk to the beach, which was empty, as it was still early in the morning. They both drew their Zanpakuto. "Alright, my dad normally liked to start out with some swordsmanship training. However, that will tough to do, due to your Zanpakuto taking the shape of a dagger. Does it take a different shape once it's released?" Jaden asked politely.

Syrus evaded eye contact with his friend. "Jaden, I don't really think that I can release." "Oh, I see. You don't know your Zanpakuto's name yet." "Actually, it's a little different than that. I know Shikai, but I can't use it." He said with a shifty disposition. "Why not? You're gonna need it if we wanna win!" Jaden said. "I'm not allowed to." Syrus pushed his index fingers together in shy fashion.

Jaden was growing irritable. "Is that so? Well who exactly is responsible for that? Actually, I don't care. Now hurry up and release. We shouldn't be wasting time, Syrus, we need to prepare!" The corners of Syrus' mouth twitched downward. He hastily sheathed his Zanpakuto. "Jaden, I'm sorry…I can't do this." "Why not? What's wrong with you, man!? I know you can do this, you've shown me how strong you are! Don't let someone else tell you what to do!"

Syrus' shoulders trembled. "But that's what you're doing!" Jaden quit yelling, the realization of his hypocrisy dawning in him. "Oh man. Syrus, I'm sorry-" "Please just leave me alone for a bit, Jaden." Jaden frowned. "Alright. I'm sorry for pressuring you, buddy." Jaden then walked away, Syrus gazing out at the ocean water.

Later that afternoon, Jaden was at the school's gymnasium. The academy had a bustling workout center built to keep the students in good shape and their morale high. Jaden was running on a treadmill, working off some of the load of stress that had dumped on him earlier that morning. His ran for almost two hours before stopping. He decided not to shower in the gym's bathroom, as he did not feel like socializing with his peers in any way. His clothes were dripping with sweat, a towel wrapped on his shoulders as he walked to the dorm to shower. On the walking path, he progressed by the Obelisk Blue girl's dorm.

His silent brooding was cut off by Alexis, who fell into step with him. She was wearing a black t-shirt, complementing his white gym clothes. "Boy, you look like shit."

"Yo, what's up Lex." He responded in an unenthusiastic monotone. "You know, even though you just called me by a pet name, I'll let it slide, since you seem so depressed. What's the matter? I thought you were confident about the fight." She said with detached concern. "I was. Then I tried to train with Syrus this morning. I asked him to release his Zanpakuto. He wouldn't. I have no idea why, but he got really upset about it. He said something about it not being allowed." Alexis' eyes widened.

"Jaden, I think I might know something about that. Are you familiar with Zane Truesdale?" she probed. "Never heard of him." Jaden replied succinctly.

"Really? That surprises me, considering he is the strongest student at this academy." Jaden scoffed, although his eyes betrayed intrigue. "Yeah right. How can he say he is the strongest if hasn't fought every single student here? Surely he's not unbeatable."

Alexis shook her head. "I beg to disagree. Zane is a senior, but he earned his nickname "The Kaiser" back when he was a freshman. His skill is unrivaled here, even among the professors." Jaden smiled. "Is that so? It seems like he needs to get knocked down a peg, and I'm just the guy to do it! However, I don't see what this has to do with Syrus." Alexis smirked. "Did you not hear? His last name is Truesdale. He is Syrus' older brother." Jaden gaped at this revelation.

"So this Zane guy told Syrus to never release his Zanpakuto? Why?" Jaden questioned. "I have no idea. Even though Zane and I have…talked…before, it doesn't mean I know his life story. You should ask him yourself. Just don't look at him the wrong way." She quipped.

Jaden clenched his fists with self-righteous anger. "I don't care how powerful he is! That doesn't mean he has the right to tell people what to do!" "Some would argue that gives him a perfectly good reason to tell people what to do. I'm sure you're aware of the concept of an alpha male. Chazz tries to be one, but Zane truly succeeds at it. If he tells someone to jump off of a cliff, they will do it gladly." She said candidly. "What a bunch of crap! I'm gonna make this guy apologize to my friend. Syrus is messed up because of him!" Alexis gave a look that could best be described as a mixture between pity and amusement. "Alright, good luck with that."

Syrus was alone in the Slifer Red Dorm, a bedsheet draped over his electric blue hair, a despairing look in his eyes. Voices flashed through his mind, a commanding baritone filling all recesses of his brain. _"You are not ready to fight."_ _"You have neither the skill or the desire."_ _"You are not worthy of a Zanpakuto."_ The words were painful to Syrus, because deep down, he knew it was true.

Only about 10% of the world's population is able to personify their souls as Zanpakuto. It is something one is born with, and Syrus was born with the potential to take up the sword. Many a member of the Truesdale family wielded Zanpakuto of their own, and several had even achieved the highest level of power their souls could muster, the power of a Bankai. Syrus had always been pressured to live up to a legacy, one that Zane was able to uphold with aplomb. He was always the runt, the scared little kid who was shunted off to the side while Zane was praised as a prodigy. Syrus let his head hit the pillow, his eyes drooped in pain.

Jaden strolled with purpose towards the opulent Obelisk Blue men's dorm. At the front door, he was greeted by two goons wearing the deep blue sport coats of the Obelisk Dorm. "Ah, hello there, gentlemen. I was wondering if I could see Mr. Zane Truesdale. I believe he and I have a grievance to work out."

The Obelisk boys stared at each other for a moment before silently agreeing with each other. "Should we give him the usual treatment?" One of the boys asked. "You bet your ass we do, Jenkins. Fetch the bucket." The boy known as Jenkins grabbed a yellow beach sand bucket from behind a bush. He then proceeded to throw the bucket, which was full of water, at Jaden. Jaden was completely soaked, but his attitude never wavered. "Get out of here, Slifer. The Kaiser does not sully his presence with rabble like yourself." While Jaden would've sorely liked to murder the two arrogant bootlickers in front of him, he realized that Crowler was already trying to expel him, and killing two kids would surely expedite that process. Instead, he ran from the premises.

Shaking off his bad mood, Jaden was walking back to the dorm to change clothes. As he passed by a tree, he heard noises of fatigue and exertion. Confused, he looked upwards to find Chumley hanging in the branches, looking much like his koala brethren. "How strange. I didn't think tree sloths were native to this island."

Chumley huffed. "Fuck you. Now help me get out of here." "First of all, you are literally five feet off of the ground, so it won't hurt if you fall. Second of all, how did you, the least athletic person I've ever met, get into that tree in the first place?" Chumley let go of the branch, falling on his rear end. He rubbed his tuckus gingerly as he stood up. "I couldn't tell you. Ever since our fight with Titan, I've felt strangely energetic. I've even gone outside today!" Jaden beamed at him. "Good for you, Chumley! I'm so happy that you've discovered more to life than rewatching old porn and smoking weed. I only wish Syrus felt the same way." Chumley sighed. "Yeah, I heard about that. Let's go check on him."

When they burst into the dorm, they saw that Syrus' bed appeared to be occupied. "Syrus, what are you doing in bed? Jesus, even Chumley got up today." However, Jaden pulled the covers off to find that it was not Syrus in the bed, but merely a few pillows, giving the facsimile of a human mass under the blanket. "Did he really just pull that one on me? That's like the oldest trick in the book!" Jaden fumed at his lack of savviness. Chumley caught sight of a piece of notebook paper on Jaden's desk. "Hey, check this out, Syrus left a note." Jaden hustled over to the desk, desperately hoping that this situation wasn't what he thought it was.

_"Dear Jaden or Chumley, I can't handle this anymore. I'm not fit to be Jaden's partner. I'm leaving this island, and don't try to stop me. –Syrus"_ Jaden crumpled the paper in his hands. "Chumley, we need to go smack some sense into that kid." "But it's almost dinner time! We're having grilled cheese tonight!" On cue, Chumley's ample stomach growled. Jaden did not acknowledge this with a response, rushing out of the door. Chumley took one look at his stomach, then one look at Syrus' bed. Sighing, he walked out of the dorm as well.

The sun was beginning to set, painting the island with a swath of orange hue. However, the beauty went unappreciated by Jaden and Chumley, who were searching around for Syrus. They happened upon a range of limestone cliffs by the beach, a secluded area near the lighthouse where kids snuck off to have sex at night. "Syrus! Are you here?" Jaden hollered. "Dinner is in ten minutes, you asshole!" Chumley bellowed. Jaden sprinted along the rocky outcrop. Chumley placed his hands on his knees. "Jaden, do we really have to run!?"

As the setting sun glistened, the lighthouse began to turn on. Zane was once again standing, deep in thought. Once again, he was interrupted. "Are you not coming to dinner today?" Alexis asked him. "No. Frankly, I feel like being alone." He really hoped she would take the hint. "Don't act like that. I just came to inform you about something." She rebutted. "Oh? And what is so important?" He replied with dry dismissal. "Your brother. He's going through a tough time right now. His anxiety is acting up the closer we get to the date of his big fight." Zane did not react. "One of his friends is looking around for you. His name is Jaden Yuki." Zane frowned. "He's looking to teach the big bad brother a lesson, huh?"

The Slifers did not have to search for long. They found Syrus at the water's edge, preparing a wooden raft, if it could be called that. It was a group of moldy logs, attached by bread ties and white string. The downcast boy was just about to set off, his body barely supported on the flimsy vessel. Jaden ran down to the shore. "Syrus, come back!" The brown-haired kid dove onto the raft, causing it to fall apart completely.

Jaden and Syrus tumbled into the water, flailing around. They resurfaced, Syrus kicking wildly and clinging on to Jaden. "Help! I can't swim!" he sputtered. "Let go! You're gonna make us both drown!" Jaden tried to desperately stay afloat. Chumley ran over. "Hold on, I'll get you out of there!" He performed a rather impressive cannonball dive into the water, preparing to put the swimming lessons his mother made him take to good use. To his surprise, the water wasn't even up to his knees.

"Um…it's shallow." Realizing this, Jaden and Syrus stood up. Jaden laughed, while Syrus was more embarrassed than ever. "Syrus, if you couldn't swim, why did you think it was a good idea to set out on a flimsy raft into the ocean!?" Jaden said in between giggles. Syrus blushed. "Shut up! I've already made up my mind, and I'm running away!" Jaden grabbed Syrus by his shirt and pulled him close, no longer smiling. "Sy, nothing good ever comes from running away! You have to face your problems head on if you ever want them to be solved! I won't let you throw away your future like this!"

Syrus pushed Jaden away. "I'm a failure! I'm not strong enough to help you! I'll never be strong enough!" Syrus wailed. Jaden felt a deep pit of sorrow grow in his stomach. How could someone think this way about himself? What could have happened to make Syrus feel this way?

The answer appeared, standing on a rock face above the Slifer boys like a king above his subjects. "He's right, you know." A booming, yet soft baritone gathered the attention of Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley. Zane stood with his arms crossed, Alexis by his side. "Are you dropping out, Syrus?" Although the words cut deep, there was no malice in Zane's voice. Syrus quietly nodded. "Good." Alexis cast a sideways glance at Zane, reprimanding him silently. "Hey!" Jaden roared. "Are you Zane Truesdale?" Zane nodded. "How dare you speak to Syrus that way! If you don't apologize right now, then we are gonna have problems!"

The smallest of smirks adorned Zane's stoic countenance. "You must that loudmouth, Jaden Yuki. Are you going to teach me a lesson?" he said sarcastically. "You're damn right! What kind of monster would make their own brother feel this way!? I'm gonna make you apologize, even if I have to break every bone in your body!"

Zane uncrossed his arms. "Fighting a Slifer? Sure, why not. It's been a while since I went slumming." Chumley laughed. Jaden sent him a death glare. "Oh come off it, that was a good burn." The koala shrugged. "It was, Chum. And I consider myself an expert on burns." Jaden unsheathed his Zanpakuto, fire gathering around him. "We shall fight at the pier. You have 10 minutes to get there." Zane said before he flash stepped away. Alexis hopped down from the cliff face.

"Are you sure about this, Jaden?" She asked one last time. Jaden nodded. "It's too late to back out now. Besides, this should be fun. I'm fighting the big man on campus! I wouldn't trade this experience for anything!" She laughed. "You're too much sometimes." They began to walk towards the pier. Jaden looked back. "Syrus, are you coming?" Syrus said nothing, but decided to follow Jaden anyway.

By the time the friends arrived at the pier, it was completely dark outside. Zane was patiently waiting, hands in his pockets. Jaden gripped his Zanpakuto tightly. "Alright, I'm ready. Hurry up and draw your sword." Jaden requested. "I'm fine thanks."

Jaden shook his head and laughed. "Such arrogance. You're underestimating me, man." "You talk too much. Attack if you're going to. I do not wish to be here all night." "Fine, let me go all out right from the beginning then! **Gokakkyu**!" The pier was lit up with a bright orange burst of heat. The fireball accelerated towards Zane, who made no effort to dodge. The flame reached his body, only to fly apart, dissipating into harmless flare.

Jaden was not intimidated; it was disturbingly easy for many of his opponents to combat his fire techniques. Instead, he silently activated his **Daitoppen**, enshrouding his blade in a razor sharp wind. He lunged at the Obelisk Blue, forcing the upperclassman to move. The sword came within a hair's breadth of him; Zane's hair was clipped by the edge of the blade. Jaden pushed Zane back towards the edge of the pier.

The Slifer grinned. "I gotcha! **Genzai no Ryu**!" A dragon of salty blue water burst forth from the still water. It wrapped around Zane, creating a sphere of water, hovering in midair. Despite being in grave danger of drowning, Zane's expression did not change for one moment. Jaden controlled the water with his hands, struggling to hold it together.

Alexis, Syrus, and Chumley watched the bout with muted interest. _"Jaden's really giving it his all. But even he must realize that this is pointless. Zane is the Kaiser. He is the strongest person on this island. Why is Jaden even fighting at all?"_ Syrus' thoughts rumbled. But then he realized; Jaden was fighting for him. Jaden wanted him to stay on the island so badly he was willing to fight the one who was said to be unbeatable, his own brother. "C'mon Jaden, get him!" Chumley finally decided to yell. Syrus smiled sadly.

Without warning, Zane suddenly disappeared entirely. Jaden looked around for him, only to feel cold steel against his throat. The aquatic prison fell down into the water, the crashing waves the only source of the noise during the moment. "I'm impressed. You show a great deal of prowess and creativity with your powers, however crude. You may wear the red jacket, but your power indicates no such rank." Zane said quietly. Quickly, the wind picked up speed, blowing until it reached gale-force levels. Zane was pushed back against his will, giving Jaden time to collect himself.

Chumley and Syrus gripped onto a steel railing, bracing themselves, lest they be blown away by Jaden's gale. Alexis stood firm, but her eyes betrayed admiration. "He's learned a few new tricks." She said softly. However, she noticed Zane had only just drawn his Zanpakuto, a fact that amused her to no end. Zane's bored expression returned to his face once the wind died down.

Zane opened his palm. "**Hado #63, Raikoho** (Fiery Lightning Howl)." A crackling orb of yellow lightning generated above Zane's hand. Despite only speaking the name of the high-level spell, Zane was able to utilize its full power. The built-up energy fired at Jaden, who quickly raised a mud wall, although it was weak due to how little energy he put into it. Despite the extra protection, Jaden was blown back by the concussive force. He skidded on the ground, his burnt body smelling of ozone. He finally came to rest near Syrus' feet. Smoke curled off of his body. Syrus stepped back in fear, wondering if his friend was okay. Jaden struggled to his feet, albeit with great difficulty.

Jaden looked over at Syrus and Chumley, who were both worried about how well Jaden took that last attack. Alexis was concerned too, although she hid it well. Jaden smiled at them, his teeth seeming much whiter due to his blackened skin. "Don't worry about me! I'm fine! After all, to become a badass, you gotta come back from a lot stronger than this!" Alexis' thin eyebrows widened. "That was a level 63 kido and he took it practically head on!"

Chumley nodded. "We're right behind you. Except not really, because this Zane guy is crazy strong." Despite his passive-aggressiveness, Jaden discerned support from his fat friend's words. Jaden looked towards Syrus. "Hey, don't worry about it Sy. I know you're scared, but we can get through this if we face it head-on! That's what it means to be strong!" Before Syrus could respond, he was interrupted by Zane.

"Is this the part where you get your second wind? If so, I'm quite intrigued." Jaden grit his teeth. "Well, I'm glad I could kill your boredom!" Jaden braced his legs, gathering power in his charred body. He then ran towards Zane, wildly swinging his blade. Zane was forced to block using his own Zanpakuto. Zane gripped the sword with one hand, keeping the other hand in his pocket. Sparks flew, Jaden flipping and dodging around Zane like a crazed spider-monkey.

"So, what does it take for you release your Shikai, huh?" Jaden growled. Zane chuckled. "Why, so you can get a "real challenge"? Believe it or not, kid, you're actually giving me a good fight, considering I lowered my standards. But asking me to release my shikai? That arrogance is staggering." Zane easily deflected Jaden's strikes, pushing him back all the while. Jaden slammed his sword into Zane's, gaining back leverage. "If anyone is arrogant, it's you! You think that just because you're powerful you can boss people around!"

Zane frowned. "If you had any knowledge of the situation, you would not be so quick to disagree with me." Syrus gnashed his teeth on the sidelines, both Alexis and Chumley looking at him. "Syrus' formed a connection with his Zanpakuto at a young age. He accessed his Shikai at the age of 9, the same age as me. You see, despite what you may think, Syrus has the blood of a Truesdale in him as well. But, like a child, he did not wield his power with responsibility, but with arrogance. One day, a playground scrap turned ugly. Syrus almost killed someone with his shikai. That is why I cannot allow him to wield it, until he proves he is worthy."

On the sideline, Syrus was sobbing, his secret out. Jaden and Zane broke off, standing ten feet across from each other. They both looked at the small boy, Zane with disapproval, Jaden with sympathy. Chumley put an arm around his friend, while Alexis looked on with a strange gaze. "Syrus!" Jaden practically yelled. "What happened in the past doesn't matter anymore! You have to move on, or else you'll be stuck where you were forever!" Alexis smiled. Jaden could be quite the motivational speaker when he wanted to fit the role. Syrus quit sobbing, but still looked down at the ground. "Sy, I'm gonna show you what it means… to live with no regrets!" Jaden extolled passionately.

He backflipped, again and again until he was a sufficient distance from Zane, who was not impressed by the acrobatics. "Surely you could have just ran backwards or something?"

Jaden smiled. "But this looks cooler!" "…True." Jaden began to gather energy again, this time taking the form of red steam around his body. It eventually erupted into red fire. Jaden deepened his stance, bracing himself before taking off at Zane. "**Streaking Comet!**" Blasting off at full power, Jaden's speed greatly surprised his opponent, who had the wind knocked out of him by the force of Jaden's punch. Jaden led a lightning-fast haymaker punch, but Zane was able to dodge out of the way just in time.

Jaden continued the assault, but he was not able to land a solid hit. Zane's breath grew short, due to the effort it took to dodge the punches. They flew all over the island, Zane's flash step one notch above Jaden's speed. Jaden blazed after him. "Damn! I can't catch him, and I'm almost out of power! I gotta pour it all into one strike!" They landed back on the pier. Jaden screamed in pain and burning before leaping forward, fist extended. Zane made a move to dodge, but Jaden was able to catch him in the arm, causing Zane to fall to the ground, clutching his burnt limb. Jaden fizzled out completely, crashing against the concrete. Zane hissed in pain before quickly healing his burn with a wordless healing kido.

Jaden was completely spent but still struggled to one knee. "It was unwise for you to challenge me. But I acknowledge your strength, Jaden Yuki. That comet attack would have beaten almost anyone else." "What the hell do you mean?" Jaden coughed. "Do you think this fight is over? I won't quit, not until you apologize!" Zane glared at him impassively. Jaden's will blazed on, but his body fizzled out. He eventually fell to the concrete again. Alexis ran over to him in concern, green energy in her hands.

She began to heal him, Zane offering some energy to speed up the process. Zane cast a glance over to Syrus, who froze up in fear. "Your friend has shown a great deal of strength today, Syrus. I hope you will show the same at your tag duel this Friday." Syrus was taken aback. Did Zane, the cold, aloof big brother, just show support of him? "I will, brother." He said stoically.

Alexis grew shadows under her eyes, stress accumulating from the strain of healing. Zane put a hand on her shoulder. "He should be stabilized by now, Alexis. Relax." Zane said in placating manner. Alexis nodded. "I'm not that good at this yet. I'm too specialized in combat." Zane nodded. "Actually, you being able to heal others at all makes you one of the more well-rounded fighters here." Zane said frankly.

Jaden quickly sat up. He grinned at Alexis. "Look at you worry about me! I'm so flattered!" Jaden grinned at her, then ruffled her dirty blonde hair. Alexis gave a small smile. "I suppose you can take it that way, you scoundrel." Jaden laughed. "You know you love me though." "Don't get ahead of yourself." She crossed her arms and huffed. Jaden gave a friendly look before focusing on Zane. His expression became stern and angry.

"Hey, you. You're as strong as they say. But don't get complacent. I'm gonna catch up to you. One day, I'm gonna be the big man on campus. You, Alexis, and Chazz are stronger than me. That doesn't mean we can't be friends though. After all, we're here to have fun, aren't we?" Jaden said with earnest sincerity. Zane smiled. "I don't really have friends." He made air quotes with his hands when he said the word "friends". "However, I suppose you can refer to me as whatever you want. Good luck at your little tag match." He then shimmered, flash stepping away.

Alexis shook her head. "Don't worry about him. He can get like that. Believe me though, he was having fun. I could see it in his eyes." Jaden cocked an eyebrow. "Sounds like you know him pretty well." He then wiggled his eyebrows at her. She blushed heavily. "I have no idea what you mean!" She said hastily. Luckily for Alexis, Syrus and Chumley had walked over.

"Jaden… thank you." Was all Syrus could say. Jaden nodded. "Syrus, I said it our first day here, and I'll say it again. I won't let you be confined by the circumstances around you." Syrus laughed shakily, then decided to give Jaden a hug. "Alright, quit it." Jaden drew the line in the sand, causing Syrus to quickly give him back his personal space. "Alright, let's go. I'm so hungry I'm considering eating one of you. Probably Syrus." Chumley said with absolute seriousness. "That is a problem. In that case, we'll go." Glad to receive the approval from Jaden, Chumley sprinted towards the dorm, taking Syrus with him.

Jaden laughed. "That's the fastest I've ever seen him run!" he then stood up, grunting from the pain his sore muscles were bringing. Alexis then tapped him on the shoulder. "Well, even though Zane doesn't seem to want to take your offer, I'll be your friend, Jaden." "I thought we already were." He grinned at her before chasing after Chumley. She watched him go with a reciprocal smile, before turning and going her own way.

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thank you for reading Chapter 6 of Kids With Swords!**

**This chapter included Jaden getting whooped again. However, this is basically what happened in canon as well, although Jaden actually got a few good hits on Zane then, whereas here he only hit Zane once. This fight will surely inspire Jaden to even greater heights in the future. He's tired of losing at this point, and he's learned a thing or two about fighting from his rivals. **

**This chapter also served as a point of character development for Syrus, who will ascend to main character status in this fic. People kinda like to hate on Syrus sometimes, but his development in GX is decent, and he, like every other character, will be treated with appropriate respect. I can't say I like character bashing too much.**

**Also, to make improve the fic's pacing, I have chosen to excise pretty much every instance of filler in the story, which means that Chumley will not be fighting his father next chapter. Chumley will have other opportunities to fight, and a father raising his sword against his own son is not a subject I feel comfortable writing about. I hope you all understand.**

**Next Saturday's chapter will be about the battle with the Paradox/Meikyuu brothers, and it's gonna be fun! If you want to check out my DBZ/HP Crossover, Never Tickle A Sleeping Dragon, in the meantime, please do. If not, that's cool too. See you later!**


	7. WU-TANG FOREVER

_If I do not wield the sword, I cannot protect you_

_If I continue to wield the sword, I cannot embrace you._

A quiet Thursday afternoon, for most, was occurring. The island seemed to be in a lull of its own. The seagulls were muffled, the tress rustling with anticipation. The students shuffled down the hall, deep into the feeling of tactile numbness that comes from academic study. Their nerves were perked by a spiritual pressure; a large one. Dr. Crowler thundered down the hallway, glaring at any student who would dare meet his eyes. The students found classrooms to enter, wanting to avoid Crowler at any cost. The only kid left in the hallway was Chazz Princeton. The Obelisk looked as though he were in a perpetual state of hunger. His posture was tense, coiled to strike. His stress was almost palpable.

His stormy gray eyes narrowed. "Crowler. I hear Jaden and Syrus' opponents are arriving today." Crowler smirked with mirth. "So they are. We will only have to wait one more day, before those two slackers go where they belong; back to their parent's basements."

Chazz did not laugh. "Crowler, I wish to be their opponent. I will be more than enough for the both of them. I have been training, and I want an opportunity to test myself. I seek vengeance. Please give it to me." Crowler's arms went up in a mock sigh of defeat. "Of course you have been training very hard, Chazz. But I highly doubt you are more than a match for Jaden, much less both of them. I will not take any chances here. That's why I've hired two fighters accustomed to working in a team!"

Chazz bristled, his boiling anger threatening to come to the surface. "Very well, Professor." He swiftly turned and walked away, his hand gripping the hilt of his Zanpakuto.

Inside the Slifer Red dorm, Chumley was watching TV, as he is want to do. Suddenly, the door to the dorm burst off of it's hinges, as it is also want to do.

Jaden and Syrus were sweating profusely from another round of training. They silently strode into the room, Syrus hitting the showers first while Jaden plopped into a beanbag chair. Chumley grunted. "I take it you'll fix the door later, again." Jaden grabbed a water bottle and took a long swig. "Who cares, doesn't it usually fix itself anyways?" Chumley thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "That's true, it usually does. I must say, you've been very focused lately. I haven't seen you go to a party all week, and you haven't sold any-" "What can I say, Chum? This match is a pretty big deal, after all." He said nonchalantly. "

You worried?" Jaden shook his head. "Why be worried? There's no point; it'll just throw me off my game." They watched TV for a little bit, until Syrus emerged from the bathroom. "Shower's all yours, bro." Chumley greeted Syrus with a lazy wave. "Hey Syrus, I dropped off your homework at Bastion's place." "Thanks Chum. I hope I stay here long enough so that Bastion actually has a reason to work on it."

The evening passed. Throughout the night, the three Slifers played video games, laughed at each others' lame jokes, and generally enjoyed themselves. The night had a disturbing air of finality about it, but no one commented on it. The morning came, Jaden and Syrus leaving at 8 O' Clock sharp. The academy building loomed large in front of them, challenging them. _"Today is the day; I have to prove that I belong here! I have to believe in myself!"_ Syrus repeated as a way of psyching himself up.

They entered the arena where their fate would be decided. Appropriately, the duel arena was the same one as when Jaden fought Chazz for the first time. Gaggles of students were scattered around the stands, mostly there because of the Slifer's opponents, not the Slifers themselves.

Bastion Misawa settled into a plastic seat, brow furrowed in discontent. "Expulsion for mere trespassing? What a miscarriage of justice." "I completely agree." The dirty-blonde sat next to him. Bastion diplomatically extended a hand. "Hello, I'm Bastion Misawa, a colleague of Jaden's."

She shook his head, bemused at his formality. "Hey, I'm Alexis. You could also say I'm a colleague of Jaden's." "How could I have not heard of the ice queen of Obelisk Blue? But how are you an associate of Jaden's? You two are kinda on opposite ends of the spectrum." he said with good humor. She gave a mirthless chuckle. "And to what spectrum are you referring to?" "…All of them."

She actually laughed at that. "Believe it or not, I was in the abandoned dorm that night. I just wasn't dumb enough to get caught." Bastion was very intrigued. "Is that so? And what exactly happened?" She shook her head. "I tell you, we had one hell of a fight on our hands. Some bounty hunter guy came after Jaden and Syrus, said he was hired to drive them out of the school." "So obviously Crowler hired him." Bastion quickly deduced. "It was such a paper-thin mystery, he might as well have just said who hired him."

"While we could probably get Crowler locked up for life, the blackmail opportunities are quite delicious, wouldn't you agree?" Bastion smirked. "I wouldn't ever have to do homework for that class again!" Alexis smiled. "By the way, thanks for doing my homework this week." "Thank you for the tips! I was finally able to sign the paperwork on my new house in the Virgin Islands!" He said with glee. "Good for you! But anyways, this guy was crazy strong, he even whipped out a Bankai on us!" Alexis continued her story. "I cast Fukashi over the area, but that spell is designed to hide human reiatsu. Something strange happened to Jaden, and he suddenly was no longer emitting purely human reiatsu." Bastion's eyes widened.

"The energy was similar to that of a Hollow." She said grimly. "You can't be serious! There has never been an instance of Hollow and Human reiatsu interacting in such a way before! Hollows are monsters, formed by the negative energy of humans who cannot properly form a Zanpakuto. There is no way a human could use the powers of a hollow! I'll have to do more research later on this!" Bastion was shocked, but he also excited at the prospect of a new scientific discovery. "I don't know what to make of this either, but for now, Jaden needs to win this match!" Alexis said in concern.

Jaden and Syrus stood with their blades drawn, waiting for their opponents. Syrus looked up into the stands to find his brother, as unexpressive as ever, gazing down at him. _"Brother…. I will show you that I'm worthy of the Truesdale name!"_

"Introducing the proctors that will be facing off against the students! The Paradox Brothers!" From seemingly nowhere, two blurs of motion, one orange and one green, backflipped onto the stage. They appeared to be twins, each looking like Buddhist monks. They each wore Qipao tunics, one a dull orange, the other a bright green. They wore mirrored sunglasses and snapback hats, each breaking out into what appeared to be a martial arts combat stance.

"We are the brothers, Para and Dox/And we like wearing women's frocks!" They said in unison, "You may think our rhymes are lame/but with hot bitches we got good game!" They said in vaguely racist tones. Jaden, Syrus, and most of the audience broke out in laughter. Bastion frowned at the unfortunate implications of their outfits, while Alexis brightened up in recognition of the duo.

"Oh! The Paradox Brothers! I just bought their new mixtape this morning!" Bastion was utterly confused and offended. He slowly turned to her. "What in the hell is wrong with you? These guys are just Wu-Tang wannabes! I can't believe they actually have taken up fighting as well!" Alexis shrugged. "Maybe you wouldn't be so uptight if you had a little more of the Paradox Brothers' rhymes in your life." "Somehow, I highly doubt it."

Jaden was rolling on the floor in utter amusement. "This is the most awesome punishment ever!" Syrus was analyzing all of his life choices, specifically the ones that led up to him fighting two famous rappers in front of the student body in one of the most prestigious boarding schools in the world. "So… you guys are our opponents." He stated in disbelief. Dr. Crowler snarled at the young boy. "Of course they are! The Paradox Brothers used to be professional fighters before their rap career blew up! They are very accustomed to working together in a fight, so they will be perfect opponents for you! Now let the fight begin!" He shrieked into a microphone.

Jaden picked himself up, tears of humor lingering in his eyes. Para and Dox drew their swords, two katanas that looked exactly identical to each other. "We are experts with our swords/We'll put your ass in the hospital ward!" Jaden launched into a fit of giggles, but recomposed himself quickly. "So what's your gimmick?" He asked pointedly. "We're glad you asked, little punk boy/ We'll show our swords are not toys!" They sheathed their swords once again. "**Fukusei, Oin Renku**! (Duplicate, Rhyme Couplet).

Their Zanpakuto both disintegrated, seemingly turning into dust. Jaden and Syrus were both taken aback by this change, as they trained themselves to fight opponents with swords. Bastion grimaced. "Alexis, do you know anything about this? I've never seen a Shikai where the Zanpakuto disappears like that. Neither have I seen two people have the same Shikai before." He inquired. "I have no idea why their Shikai is the same, but I do know why their swords disappears like that. The Paradox Brothers mainly excel in martial arts, not swordsmanship. So I guess that their Zanpakuto release gives them some special ability to compensate."

Para and Dox both laughed at the same time, which was rather unnerving. "Our souls are perfectly in sync; we are twins after all/our Shikais are the same, so we can straight up ball!" The rhyme was painful, but Jaden still smiled. "Nice, so that means we only have to mess with one ability for two fighters. This is gonna be simple!"

"You think that there is only two?/that is the thinking of a fool!" To everyone's great surprise, many physical copies of Para and Dox appeared, eight of each. They formed a circle around the confused Slifer boys. "I'm seeing double!" said Syrus. Jaden eyes twitched around, trying to see if there was any discernible difference between the clones.

Suddenly, the doppelgangers rushed Jaden and Syrus, dog-piling on top of them. "**Eiyu no Hoshi- Gokakkyu**!" "**Hado #11**, **Tsuzuri Raiden**! (Bound Lightning)" The kido was cast by Syrus, while Jaden's staple move was unleashed. Once the attacks hit, the clones dissipated in puffs of smoke. Unfortunately for the boys, the real Paradox brothers were unscathed.

The brothers quickly called forth more clones, attacking Jaden and Syrus once again. "**Daitoppen!"** Jaden smoothly cut through the clones like hot butter, the smoke doing little to impede his awareness. The grinding noise of his wind echoed across the stadium, the audience rapt with attention.

Due to the smallness of his Zanpakuto, however, Syrus was having a harder time keeping up. A clone of Dox knocked the dagger out of Syrus' hand. Soon, Syrus was engaging the real Dox in hand-to-hand combat. The green-robed rapper easily evaded Syrus' sloppy punches. He caught the boy's fist, then delivered a brutal knee to Syrus' stomach. As Syrus clutched his torso in pain, a clone of Para kicked him in the face, causing the small boy to fly across the arena.

"So, that's their strength; instead of gaining a new ability, the brothers' cloning lets them overwhelm an opponent with physical prowess." Bastion observed. "Would you mind trying not to sound so impressed?" Alexis huffed. "Oh, so when you fangirl over how dope their lyrics are, it's OK, but when I make a valid point, you shoot me down?!" Bastion correctly pointed out the hypocrisy of her statement. "Well…. Uh…. Shut up!" She replied with clever alacrity and wit.

Syrus picked himself up and grabbed his dagger. A well-placed jab took out a clone, but he was quickly caught off guard again, this time by the real Para. Syrus got a knee to the back of his head, causing the poor boy to cough up blood.

Zane looked on in disdain. _"He should know better than to engage them in close combat, especially if he's not going to release his Zanpakuto."_ He inwardly reprimanded. The Paradox clones all laughed, causing a strange rondo of mockery to ring across the room. "You little silly punks just don't get it/recognize we are captains, you are lieutenants!" They laughed.

Jaden continued to slice his way through clones, sweat beginning to flow. Jaden was not having a difficult fight, due to his ability to keep the clones at bay with wind-based techniques. Due to the match taking place inside, Jaden could not use any of his earth-based powers, as they threatened to damage the infrastructure of the building. Water was also out of the question, as Jaden needed to be near a body of water to use it with any sort of prowess. He growled at the clones. "Hey, why don't you pick on someone your own size!" he said, hoping to draw their attention to him. "Cutting through these pathetic clones is getting boring! Let's go!"

Jaden had successfully gathered the real Paradox brothers attention, as well as the eight remaining clones. "Look, bro, he isn't feeling our material/time for us to show that we are lethal!" That line drew a painful groan from the crowd. Syrus struggled to his feet, nursing his bruises from his pummeling at the hands of Para. "Why don't you get rid of these stupid copies? Only cowards would fight two-on-one, much less ten-on-one."

The brothers paused, seeming to consider Jaden's demand. "That's a good idea, we'll give it a try/." Jaden smiled. "Really? That's rather sporting of you." "/Actually never mind; we lie!" The ten Paradox brothers then rushed Jaden. The Slifer boy attempted to discern which ones were real, but he had no luck. "Damn, they all have the same reiatsu!" Jaden lunged wildly, destroying a clone in the process. However, he was soon overwhelmed by the mob, getting pummeled from all sides.

"Not good. If Syrus doesn't do something soon, Jaden's going to be tenderized." Said Bastion. Across the bleachers, Chazz Princeton watched in vindictive glee. "Ah, this is so therapeutic, watching these two ass-clowns get kicked around like this! Why, I can practically feel my shoulders loosen." Chazz then let out a sigh of relaxation.

Syrus watched Jaden get assaulted, his mind completely frozen. "I have to do this now, or else Jaden's done!" His hand gripped his sword. "I mustn't run away! **Kagayaki, Hikari Fukushu**! (Shine, Light's Vengeance)"

He raised the dagger above his head, drowning the arena in spiritual pressure. His Zanpakuto was changing. What was once a piddly little dagger had become a fearsome blade. It's length was that of a normal European broadsword. However, it's most striking feature was the blue hard light emitting from the handle. It was a blue lightsaber. Zane looked on, no emotion showing in his face.

The Paradox Brothers gazed at the glowing sword with trepidation. "What's that, a ripoff of Star Wars?/Your pathetic resistance is making us bored." Syrus looked at them with abject rage. "I don't expect mercenaries like you to understand… the way that I fear this power. But that doesn't matter now. If it means protecting my bro Jaden, I'll do whatever it takes!" The droning hum of the lightsaber served to intimidate the brothers. They immediately conjured up more clones. "It'll take more than a Star Wars fan/from this school, to get us banned!" Eight more clones sped towards Syrus.

In a flash of light, they were all cleanly bisected by the laser sword.

The Paradox brothers were shocked by this display of speed, but had no time to react. Jaden stood up from behind them, bleeding heavily. His Zanpakuto clanged against the floor, causing the brothers to snap back to him. Jaden was steaming, red power flaring up form his body.

"I hope you haven't forgot about me!" Jaden grinned wildly before launching at Para. Dox took the cue to attack Syrus, creating more clones in the process. Jaden and Para were fighting hand-to-hand, their movements so quick they appeared as mere blurs to most of the audience.

As Jaden and Para's fight took to the air, Bastion and Alexis observed with growing enthusiasm. "Well, it appears the fight has turned around. I wonder why Jaden isn't using his sword though." Bastion questioned. "Jaden wants to drag the fight on longer. He's an adrenaline junkie like that." Alexis snarked. "At least Syrus appears to be pulling his weight for a change."

Indeed, Syrus slashed through the clones with robotic efficiency. He swung at Dox with complete focus, giving him no time to create more doppelgangers. Dox was dodging with finesse, but he had no way to block any of Syrus' attacks, nor to mount to an offensive. Desperately, Dox reverted out of his Shikai, preferring to use his sword. This proved to be useless however, because as soon as Dox went in for a slash, his sword was melted down all the way to the handle.

Syrus' expression remained grim. "Sorry, but my Hikari Fukushu is impossible to defend against with an ordinary weapon. You see, this weapon of mine can cut through almost anything…" To prove his point, he slashed Dox across the chest, causing the mercenary to fall to the floor in pain. There was no bleeding; the lightsaber was so hot, it cauterized the wound immediately. Syrus quickly deactivated his shikai, sheathing his dagger. "Sorry, but I had to do it…"

Near the ceiling, Jaden and Para were exchanging blows with nearly equal speed. Suddenly, each of their fists found the other's cheek, the cross-counter forcing them to break off. "To fight me at full power, that is pretty sweet/ your martial arts prowess keeps me on my feet!" Para wiped a little blood from his cheek, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Jaden wore a similar grin. "Thanks, you're pretty good yourself. Tell you what, no matter how this fight goes, I'm gonna buy some of your albums after this!" He said with good sportsmanship. Para laughed derisively. "I doubt your parents will lend you iTunes money/when you get expelled, it won't be funny!" Jaden laughed as well. "That's true! I guess I'm just going to have to win then!" Red energy completely enveloped Jaden's body, his Streaking Comet at full power.

Then, without warning, he flew at Para, who could not react. Jaden then unleashed a barrage of rapid-fire punches, pummeling the orange-clad rapper. With a one blazing kick, Para was sent flying down to the ground, right next to his brother. He managed to use his momentum to backflip into a crouching stance. Para was disoriented, but still kicking.

Jaden landed on the arena floor, facing off across from Para. Syrus jumped out of the way, dragging the unconscious Dox to the edge of the platform. Jaden's blazing red energy was so hot, the audience could feel it, as though they were sitting around a campfire.

"I must say, you're pretty hot/but I've got to give it one more shot!" Para began to run towards Jaden. "That's the spirit!" Jaden also began to run. Each fighter extended their fist, meeting each other at the middle of the arena. As their knuckles made contact, a flash of light nearly blinded everyone in the room. They passed each other, each standing tall for one moment. Then, Para fell over, his sunglasses broken. He was unconscious, but Jaden continued to stand. After a moment of silence, the crowd erupted into applause, wolf whistles, and cheers.

Chumley beat his chest like a gorilla. "That's right, taught em everything they know!" The next thing he knew, various attractive women from all over the school were crowding around him, waiting for autographs. Bastion and Alexis clapped politely, neither of them willing to give up their dignity. They were happy that Jaden stayed, but not in the same way that Chumley was. Both calculated Jaden's attacks, subconsciously preparing for when they would fight him themselves. Chazz was unequivocally livid, teeth gnashing in frustration. He left the arena immediately, for there was much training to do. Zane showed no outward change in persona, but inside, he was proud of his brother.

Crowler's rage rivaled Chazz's, for his plan to get Jaden and Syrus expelled had failed. Principal Sheppard, who was sitting in the stands, looked at Crowler strangely. "Well, even those boys completely flaunted our school's rules, I suppose I'll let it slide. The match was entertaining, after all." Professor Banner's grin never left his face. "I agree, it was a nice little diversion." Crowler snapped over to Banner. "How did you even watch? Your eyes were closed the entire time!"

Banner shrugged. "I see everything, Professor Crowler. Everything." Banner then flash stepped away.

Later that evening, Jaden held a bonfire with all of his friends to celebrate he and Syrus' victory. Gathered around the fire was himself, Syrus, Chumley, Bastion, and Alexis. They wore decidedly casual clothing; Bastion wore a bro-tank and shorts, while Alexis threw on her favorite grey sweatshirt. Jaden was wearing a Denver Broncos jersey, despite having never set foot in the state of Colorado. Chumley wore a black shirt with jeans. Syrus stayed in his uniform. Bastion sipped a wine cooler, surveying Jaden. How could such a happy boy have the powers of a Hollow?

Alexis was also looking at Jaden out of the corner of her eye, but for a different reason. She really had grown fond of him over the first month of school. She sometimes put up a cold exterior around him, but his warmth seemed to melt it sooner or later. She also looked at Syrus. A month ago, the boy couldn't even stand to be in this sort of social situation. Now, he made conversation with Bastion and Chumley easily, his confidence growing at the same rate his fighting abilities were. A genuine bond was beginning to form between the five kids.

A/N

Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the seventh chapter of Kids With Swords!

This was a fun chapter to write, from the Paradox Brothers' rapping to Syrus' lightsaber Shikai. This will not be the last time Jaden and Syrus team up either, if you enjoyed their teamwork in this chapter. Anyways, there might not be an update next Saturday, as I may not have much time to write in the next week. I'll give it a shot, though.

Next chapter, Bastion will be battling Chazz, with a promotion on the line! Will the analytical Ra Yellow be able to stand up to the raw power of the Obelisk Blue? Tune in next time on Kids With Swords!


	8. THE METHODS OF RATIONALITY

_Despair is when a man loses his purpose._

October passed quietly after the tag match. The island felt no change in weather, due to its proximity to the equator. A few of the tree leaves on campus changed color from vibrant green to dull orange, but otherwise, kids still hung out on the beach, ate ice cream, and enjoyed the endless summer of the island.

One such benefit of the weather was gym class. While the kids found it boring at first, gym class had quickly grown to be many of the students' favorites, especially with the attractive Professor Fontaine teaching the class. Today, the Slifer and Ra gym classes converged for a game of baseball outdoors. Most of the kids were familiar with the popular American pastime, but were very bad at it, making the game quite fun for most involved.

Jaden was playing pitcher, and was doing a pretty good job too, as the Ras were struggling with two outs and were down 8-9. Suddenly, a Ra student with streaked-back black hair ran into the dugout. "Sorry I'm late, fellas. I was working on some programs back in my dorm, but I figured a break would be nice. By the way, Professor Fontaine, I just finished your taxes for you." Said Bastion. While this statement would sound criminally nerdy to any sane person, everyone accepted it without complaint. After all, Bastion was the only reason most of them had perfect grades.

Fontaine was about to reprimand Misawa for being late, but decided not to. "Thanks honey!" "Yeah, whatever, just get the money to me by Friday. Now then, do you guys need a fresh arm?" One bemused Ra Yellow student nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess."

Bastion threw on a white baseball cap and went up to bat. There was one Ra student on first base, and it was the ninth inning. Bastion would have t hit them both home to win the game. Although the stakes were far from high, the boys always liked to look good in front of Fontaine. Jaden smirked. "Bastion, how's it been? I wouldn't take you for a baseball player." Jaden said jovially. Bastion chuckled. "Well, with all this extra homework money I have, I was considering buying the Houston Astros. I figure I should gain at least a rudimentary knowledge of the game before I do so." Jaden face-faulted at how obscenely rich his friend was becoming.

"All right, just cause you're new to the game, I'll give you an easy one to start out with!" Jaden then threw a soft underhand pitch. Bastion hit the ball perfectly, hitting a mean line drive to the outfield. Syrus, who was playing outfield, was right in the ball's path. "All right, eye of the tiger! You can do it, Syrus!" The ball rolled right between Syrus' legs. Bastion and the other Ra student were able to get home, ending the game 10-9. Professor Fontaine looked up from her phone. "All right boys, class is over. Go get changed." Jaden looked over to Bastion, who looked at him challengingly. "

Beginner's luck, I suppose." He said with what appeared to be an uncaring tone. Jaden frowned, then stuck his tongue out at Bastion. "Yeah, whatever. You've totally played before, haven't you?" Bastion shrugged. "Ah, perhaps. However, because you underestimated me, another victory is chalked up for the Ra Yellow dorm." Jaden laughed. "That's true. It's why I stayed in Slifer Red after my fight with Chazz. But still, that's a dirty trick. I like it!" Jaden snarked. "I'm glad you think so." The two friends then entered the locker room to change.

The next day started with Crowler's English, always a bad way to begin the morning for young Jaden. However, as his circle of friends grew, the class became much more bearable, especially with Bastion doing his homework and tests. The moral fallacy of it all was lost on Jaden. He, Syrus, Alexis, and Bastion were sitting together, enjoying the small comfort each other's presence was during the long hour. Professor Crowler was droning on about the Pluperfect tense when the bell finally rang.

"Bastion Misawa, please see me after class today." Jaden, Syrus, and Alexis all looked at the Ra with concern. "Just drop your stuff off at my room later." Bastion said dryly before leaving to engage Crowler. The black-haired youth was slightly concerned that Crowler had finally got wise to his academic dishonesty, but he was sure Crowler could be paid off if push came to shove.

"Bastion, my boy. How have you been lately?" Crowler fawned. Bastion was immediately put on edge. "Fine. How may I help you, Professor?" He said with forced cordiality. "Well, son, your grades have been perfect, and you are clearly a student of high character." With this remark, Bastion was relatively relieved. "You see, your fellow teachers and I have agreed to offer you a test. A test to see if you are ready to join the ranks of Obelisk Blue." Bastion's face lit up.

"Wonderful! I would be honored to take this test, Professor! I'll make sure to bring some pencils!" Crowler laughed and put a hand on Bastion's shoulder, causing the boy to immediately step back. "We already know you are intelligent enough. We will require a combat assessment. I will prepare an Obelisk for you to fight. The test will be tomorrow at 4 0' Clock." "Ah, of course. I'll be sure to plan accordingly, then." "Wonderful."

Bastion strolled down the sidewalk in jubilation. His legs jangled as he walked, as though he were about to burst into a musical number. He ambled to the pier, where Jaden was fishing by himself. Bastion sat down next to him. "Oh, hey man. I dropped my homework and money off at your place. What did Crowler want? He didn't find out, did he?" Jaden drawled. "No, but he did offer me some pretty monumental news. Tomorrow, I'll be testing to enter Obelisk Blue."

Jaden smiled. "Fantastic! You deserve it! Do you want to train at all for your matchup? Do you know who you'll be fighting?" Jaden inquired. "I just know I'll be fighting an Obelisk. I doubt it will be someone out of my league, like Alexis or Zane, but I'll have to prepare. For now, I was wondering if you and Syrus would like to help me move out of my dorm. Even if I fail, I have to repaint my place anyway." Bastion said with a lax demeanor. "Sure, I don't think the fish are biting anyways!"

Chazz sauntered into English class, his last period of the day. He found his seat easily; it was one of the only ones in the room that had a cushion and foot rest. "Hey, someone fetch me an iced tea! It's hot outside!" He barked at the class. They were silent for a second, until someone spoke up, "Get it yourself, prick." Chazz stood up. "What kind of idiot had the nerve to say that to the great Chazz Princeton! Answer me!" Crowler looked up from his desk, where he was grading papers. "Sit down, Chazz. You seem to expect a lot of respect from your fellow students, considering you lost to a Slifer Red!" Crowler accused.

Chazz's eyes twitched. "I did not lose to that Slifer, I would've beat him if you didn't stop the match!" Chazz hissed. "The fact is, you simply haven't been showing the level of skill we expect from an Obelisk Blue." Chazz's anger was rising faster than ever. "Yes I have! Jaden Yuki is not a Slifer-level opponent! He is probably one of the most powerful students at this academy!" Chazz tried to defend himself.

"Making excuses? How sad. Well, if you are so intent on proving your worth, I will give you an opportunity. Tomorrow at 4, you will be fighting one of Ra Yellow's brightest, Bastion Misawa. He certainly has proved himself. And if you lose, there will be a vacancy in the Obelisk ranks for him. How do you think the color yellow suits you, Chazz?" Crowler jibed. Chazz shook, a look of pure rage on his face. He spontaneously ran from the classroom, his classmates laughing at his histrionics. "I will never be a Ra!" Chazz yelled.

Jaden, Syrus, and Bastion grabbed paint buckets, stepladders, brushes, and some ill-fitting clothes to work in. They walked into Bastion's room to find the wall covered in arcane formulas and equations. "Woah, think you've got enough math problems there?" Syrus said sardonically. "Yeah, what are you doing here? Did you finally find the Higgs Boson?" Jaden laughed.

Bastion frowned. "Your derision comes from a lack of understanding. You see, everything can be worked down to a formula. Anything, whether in combat, or in any sort of academic study, can be reasoned down to patterns, equations. By doing this, I can understand the world around me." Jaden and Syrus nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I guess that's pretty smart. Sounds like a lot of work to me though. I'm a go-with-the-flow kinda guy, you know?" Jaden said breezily. "I see, and that works for you. But I don't really have the raw power to go in unprepared like that." Bastion commented.

The afternoon stretched on, the boys painting while some music played from Jaden's stereo. It was a relaxed affair, until the time came to paint the ceiling. Unfortunately, Jaden was the first person to gain access to the stepladder. "Hey guys, I'm like Michelangelo! Get it, because I'm painting on the ceiling!" Jaden, while laughing at his own joke, slipped on the ladder. He fell over, dropping his wet paintbrush directly onto Syrus' face. Syrus got white paint all over his face and hair, causing Bastion to laugh at the homoerotic imagery. "You do realize this means war, right?" Syrus then threw his paintbrush at Jaden, whose attempts to dodge were successful, causing the brush to hit Bastion in the face. Jaden then laughed at Bastion. "Oh, think it's funny, huh?" The situation quickly devolved, the paint fight lasting for hours.

After cleaning up, the boys ate in the Ra Yellow cafeteria. Unlike the Slifer Red dorm, The Ra Cafeteria was actually sanitary and safe to eat in. It actually had nutritious food as well, having fruits, vegetables, and proteins to eat. Jaden and Syrus were gobbling it down, greatly enjoying the opportunity to get true sustenance. "Thanks so much for the food Bastion! It's been a while since I've gotten some fiber in my diet!" Syrus said. "Um, no problem."

Jaden picked up a banana. "What is this strange food? I've never seen it at the Slifer Red Dorm." Bastion sweatdropped. "It's a banana. They are commonplace fruits that are high in potassium." "How fascinating!"

Jaden and Syrus learned many new things during their dinner. Before, they thought no other foods existed, besides cold sushi and rice. They agreed to let Bastion stay at the Slifer Red dorm for the night, setting up a nest of blankets on the ground for him to sleep on. "You know, it's a shame that I didn't have more time to prepare, I could've simply purchased a king-sized mattress and had it shipped over here in less than a day. Oh well." He sighed. Chumley bristled. "Oh, of course. You're rich enough to do that." "Don't be salty, old chum. I'd be paying with your money, after all. By the way, how are your classes going?" Bastion said. "Well, I'm getting all A's…" "That's what I thought."

The Obelisk Blue dorms were truly breathtaking; large, multi-roomed suites for each individual student. Furniture even Bastion would have trouble paying for. Food that took hours, if not days, to prepare. However, despite the opulence surrounding him, Chazz felt as hungry and poor as a street beggar. He felt dirty in his Obelisk Blue uniform, and took it off as soon as he entered his dorm in favor of a black T-shirt and kahki shorts. Desperately needing relief from the pressure on his shoulders, he went over to his living room and turned on his Xbox.

Just as he was about to play his video game, his cell phone rang. Seeing who it was, Chazz scrunched his forehead together with his index finger. "Hello?" "A gritty, harsh voice sounded from the phone's speaker. "Chazz! How's it going, lil, bro?" Chazz winced. "Oh, Slade. I presume Jagger is with you as well." He said dully. "You'd be right to presume that!" Another voice, this one oily smooth, rang in Chazz's ears. "What do you guys want?" Chazz asked wearily. "Well, we finally got the news today! We heard that your position in the Obelisk Blue dorm is in jeopardy! Of course, that's not surprising. After all, no fighter worthy of the Obelisk Blue rank would lose to a Slifer Red in a battle! Wouldn't you say that, Brother!" Slade barked at Chazz.

"Yeah, I would say that." "Of course! It's inconceivable, especially for a member of the Princeton clan! You remember our plan, don't you, little brother?" "Yes, I remember." Chazz said meekly. "Your brother and I have been holding up our end of the deal! We will control the three tentpoles! Politics, Finance, and Combat! A voice in the United States Senate, a Wall Street mogul, and an unbeatable warrior! We will control the world, Chazz! But you have been less than unstoppable lately, haven't you!?" Chazz held the phone away from his ear, not wanting his brothers to hear his heavy breathing. He quickly pulled it back once he hard his brother stop talking. "Haven't you!?" They yelled at him. "Yes…" "You better win tomorrow, Chazz." They hung up. Chazz slowly began to sob.

The next day passed slowly for most. For Bastion, time seemed to move in a slipstream. Sometimes, he was staring at his new Rolex watching the seconds tick by, sometimes hours passed by in the blink of an eye. In Crowler's English class, Syrus had to take over note-taking duty, because Bastion was simply too excited to concentrate on the lesson. Eventually, four 0' Clock came, and Bastion was at the Obelisk Arena as soon as classes were let out, joined shortly by Jaden, Syrus, and Alexis.

"What are you guys doing here?" Bastion said in pleasant surprise. Jaden grinned at him. "I thought it would be fun to watch you fight!" "I hope you win, Bastion!" said Syrus. "Don't get it twisted; I just want to see the abilities of your Zanpakuto." Alexis replied coldly. Suddenly, Professor Crowler entered the arena. "Bastion, I've prepared your opponent. You will be fighting… Chazz!" With dramatic flair, Crowler pointed towards the hallway, where Chazz walked in. Anger roiled off of him in waves, his spiritual pressure a thick red haze of rage.

"Oh, you're fighting Chazz! This should be easy!" Jaden said with glib cheekiness. Chazz grit his teeth. "Oh really? You think you're just gonna roll over me?" He said softly. Bastion drew his blade, holding defensively in front of his face. "I don't think it will be a breeze, but this match is mine, Chazz. I'm sorry, but this is one opportunity I cannot pass up!" Crowler stood at the edge of the ring. "Alright gentlemen, begin whenever you are ready."

Bastion held his sword perpendicular to his body. "Chazz, I take it you don't want to play any games." Chazz immediately flash stepped, slamming his blade against Bastions, pushing the Ra Yellow back. Chazz stepped back, reforming his blade into twin black scimitars. The red tassels on the end of the hilts rustled as Chazz flawlessly flowed with them. "…Which is why you came here with your shikai already activated. A bit of a dirty move, if I do say so myself. Besides, I already prepared for such a possibility." Before Chazz could react, a blast of light pushed him back, his brown boots skidding against the polished floor.

Bastion's blade had changed form, becoming a thin silver rapier. Bastion's right hand was covered in a dark blue iron gauntlet. A blue wrist guard adorned with exquisite gold markings rose to his elbow. "**Shubi, Kotomaru**. (Defend, Tiger Culler). "I already came here with my Shikai ready as well." Jaden and Alexis were enraptured, mentally taking notes. Chazz smirked, a hint of his old confidence returning. "Let's go Misawa! I don't want to waste any more time! I will defeat you, and crush you until there is nothing left!" Chazz snarled, the desperation apparent. "Boys, may I remind you this is not a fight to the death!" Crowler felt the need to say.

Chazz transfigured his weapon into a new sword, a black katana with a red handle. Without hesitation, he ran at Bastion again, their blades clashing. Sparks flew as their Zanpakuto grinded. "You made no effort to analyze my weapon, nor to observe it. Frankly, it is unwise." Bastion intoned. "I don't care! I don't need to! That's how strong I am, I'm gonna beat you no matter how many trick you have!" Their blades danced, each combatant a proficient swordsman, although Chazz was able to consistently maintain the offensive.

Bastion frowned. After Chazz broke off from him, Bastion let his sword hold limply at his side. Smiling, Chazz swung his katana at Bastion. "Bastion, duck!" Syrus shouted. However, inches from Bastion's skin, an orange wall of hard light sprung forward from Bastion's gauntlet, stopping Chazz's Fuuinji in its tracks. Chazz immediately jumped back, confused at the strange weapon. "Kotomaru is a primarily defensive Zanpakuto. You see, its main ability is to project a special kido known as **Koen **(Aegis). "What the hell is that?" "I was just getting to it, you impatient child. Koen projects from my gauntlet, and it is impossible to cut through with an ordinary sword. Frankly, you just got countered hard, considering you have a melee-type sword."

Chazz tried to calm down, to analyze the situation like Bastion suggested. Fuuinji was indeed a poor matchup against Bastion's defense. Instead he gathered red energy in his left hand. "**Hado #31, Shakkaho**!" A red flare of energy flew from Chazz's hand, crashing against Bastion's Koen. Bastion was pushed back, trying to deflect the blast, but to no avail. Eventually he had to settle for altering its own momentum, sending the blast into the ceiling. It burned a hole in the ceiling, causing sunlight to filter into the air-conditioned room.

Wasting no time, Chazz flash stepped directly behind the disoriented Bastion, aiming his blade at Bastion's back. Bastion managed to block Chazz's obsidian blade just in time, although he was unable to effectively block with his rapier. Chazz's sword was caught on Bastion's wrist guard, giving the Ra student an opening to punch Chazz in the stomach. The Obelisk Blue was relatively unaffected, as Bastion had poor arm strength.

Bastion hastily backtracked, wanting to regain distance from Chazz. Chazz pointed his index finger, wordlessly casting Byakurai. The ivory-white blast was meager, due to Chazz going without the incantation. Bastion's Koen was able to block it without much strain. Chazz cursed. "This is bullshit! First, I take on a Slifer who has the strength of an Obelisk Blue, and now I'm fighting someone who is a perfect counter to me! It's unfair!" Chazz's whining elicited a disapproving frown form Crowler, a grin form Jaden, and a groan from Syrus and Alexis. Bastion's stoic mask betrayed no emotion.

"Listen, it's no big deal. Why do you care so much about this match anyway?" Bastion asked. Crowler sneered. "Perhaps I should have been more clear with you, Bastion. You see, your spot in my dorm would replace Chazz's. He has as much to fight for as you do. After all, there are no vacancies in the elite." Crowler said. Bastion's eyes glimmered, understanding dawning in them.

Jaden took on a more serious countenance, as he did not realize the stakes of the match as well. "That's why Chazz has been looking so stressed! He's going to get demoted if he loses!" he said with slight sympathy. "Who cares? Chazz is an egotistical narcissist. He considers you on the level between a puke stain and a shit stain. He is not worth your pity, Jaden." Alexis reprimanded. Jaden pouted. "I don't know, something just doesn't feel right here." Jaden thought back to his exam match with Chazz.

_"You may posture all you like, but at the end of the day, you are held prisoner by the same rules I am."_ He remembered the black-haired boy saying to him. "Alexis is right. Chazz is heartless! He wouldn't spit on you if you were burning alive!" Syrus said.

Bastion felt somewhat inclined to feel bad for Chazz. However, he knew Chazz would reject any offer of friendship, and Bastion didn't really care to begin with. He decided to drop his Koen, the orange barrier disappearing slowly, like a soft campfire. "Come on, Chazz. We'll play by your rules." Chazz, who was silently sulking, narrowed his eyes at Bastion. "No! I refuse to fight you at anything less than your best! I must prove that I am strong! And I'm gonna do that by tearing you down!"

Bastion looked momentarily pained, but he erected his Koen once more. Again and again Chazz's sword bounced harmlessly off of the shield. He reformed Fuuinji into a spear, a broadsword, and his scimitars, but it all proved fruitless. Chazz tried to use more kido, but Bastion refused to let up, lest Chazz think he was going easy on him. Crowler and the other students eventually got bored watching the exercise in futility.

"Just give up already. There is no point in continuing this match any longer. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but you have lost." Bastion said with grim, stormy baritone. Chazz snarled, attempting to lunge at Bastion again. This time, bastion parried Chazz's strike, sending Fuuinji flying out of the boy's hands. That was the final straw. Chazz screamed, his reiatsu exploding in light blue waves.

"Justice! The flame of revenge destroys all in its path! Reduce all dissenters to ashes! Wipe the slate clean! **Hado #54, Haien** (Abolition Flame)!" An oblong burst of purple energy flew from Chazz's hand, flying towards Bastion. Bastion was incredibly surprised, but managed to duck out of the way. The spell then swooped into the floor, disintegrating away the floor of the ring. Bastion found himself shaking slightly. "There's no way my Koen could have held up to that. If I didn't dodge, I would be nothing more than ashes on the floor. To perform such a high-level kido, even with incantation…. It's impressive." Bastion mused.

Chazz's reserves were completely spent. He had nothing left in the tank, keeling over in exhaustion. Crowler stepped in between the two combatants. "That's enough. I pronounce Bastion Misawa both the winner of this fight, and the newest member of Obelisk Blue. Chazz Princeton, you are hereby demoted to Ra Yellow until further notice." Chazz, with difficulty, stood up. "This dishonor…it won't stand!" "Well, it will have to." Bastion stated plainly. Chazz looked up at his three rival classmates. Jaden's eyes were sad, while Syrus was carefully neutral. Alexis' were ice cold. "I'll never be a Ra!" Chazz ran out of the room, wallowing in self-pity and hatred.

After a slightly uncomfortable silence, the four friends decided to kick it by the beach to celebrate Bastion's promotion. Jaden and Syrus were playing in the water, while Alexis tanned. Jaden occasionally stole glances at the scantily clad ice queen and her white bathing suit. Alexis noticed his attempts to be coy, smirking all the while. The man of the hour, Bastion, was lounging in a lawn chair, reading a book. He wore a white shirt with blue flower print on it.

He got out of his seat to bring Alexis a fruity tropical drink. "Hope you like it, I made it myself." He handed her the frosty pink liquid. "I'm surprised Jaden didn't try this, it's an effective little trick." She smirked. "Oh please, now that I am an Obelisk, I am officially out of your league." He said sarcastically. "Oh, of course you are! But really, congratulations, Bastion. You fought very well, and you will make a fine addition to Obelisk Blue, especially once you awaken your Bankai." Alexis complimented. Bastion nodded.

"There is much for me to learn, and I have the wealth and ambition to learn it. The future is indeed bright." Jaden and Syrus left the water to dry off. "Looking good, Lex!" Jaden said with greasiness. "You should get a good look while you can, Jaden." She said idly. Jaden laughed, but his expression seemed strained. Syrus noticed this. "What's the matter, bro?" Jaden quickly forced a smile. "Nothing, I'm just a little concerned about Chazz. He seemed really upset." "Jaden, quit being a buzzkill." Said Bastion. "Yeah, no kidding. Chazz is an asshole." Alexis said. "I suppose you guys are right…"

Enjoying the rest of the evening with their friends, Jaden and Syrus returned to the dorm smelling like multiple kinds of smoke. However, as Syrus and Chumley snored, Jaden was awake, his mind mulling things over. For some reason, he felt an unmistakable pity for his rival, someone who hated him from the bottom of his heart.

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the eighth chapter of Kids With Swords!**

**This was an interesting chapter to write, not only because of the conflict between Bastion and Chazz, but also because I had to write most of it on a phone. I didn't have access to my computer this week. I triple-checked for any grammatical mistakes though. **

**A minor change to the canon storyline in this chapter is that Bastion accepted the promotion to Obelisk Blue. I felt that this was more in character for him. He is an ambitious character who wants to use his power and wealth to discover more about the world around him, and Obelisk Blue will provide him with the opportunities he wants. I plan to give Bastion more characterization and relevance in this fic than the insulting amount he got in the anime. **

**Thanks again for reading!**


	9. WHEN LOLIS ATTACK

_Youth is both the best time to be rich and the best time to be poor._

Jaden was showing Alexis a new game he downloaded onto his phone, and Syrus was reading a book, so none of Bastion's friends noticed his change of attire as he walked into English. Bastion was now wearing the blue jacket and white slacks associated with his new dorm.

"Well, everything seems to fit alright." He said to get their attention. Alexis looked up at him. "Looking good! I'm glad that you decided not to go with the coattails. Frankly, they look terrible." "You don't seem to mind when Zane wears them!" Syrus replied petulantly. "Well, that's Zane. That man could wear a garbage bag and still look sexy." Jaden replied airily. Alexis nodded in agreement. "He's dreamy."

Bastion huffed. "So, what are you chaps doing for Thanksgiving?" The American holiday was that very weekend. "I believe we're splurging on a Turkey at the Slifer Red dorm. Unfortunately, since we have to pay for it, we'll have to do our own homework this week. That is, unless you could do us a favor…?" Jaden pleaded, giving Bastion a strong puppy dog stare. Alexis nearly squealed at how cute it was. However, Bastion stared his friend down. "No. You can't have your turkey and your homework, I have a business to run." He stated with precise, cutting tone. "Ouch!" Jaden said with good humor.

Around 11 that evening, Alexis met Zane at the lighthouse, as she did every day. While she and Zane occasionally reaped the benefits of their relationship, their friendship was based on much more than sexual desire. Ever since they were kids, Alexis and Zane were able to trust and confide in one another, and they both were drawn closer to each other by the death of Atticus, Alexis' brother. Most of the time, they did not even speak with other at their nighttime trysts, simply enjoying each others' company.

"Chazz has disappeared." Zane said bluntly. "Yeah, ever since he was demoted to Ra Yellow. He probably ran away, although how he got off of the island, I have no idea." Alexis said, bemused. "Honor is very important to someone like him. In a rich family like the Princeton's, it is imperative to keep up appearances. I wouldn't be surprised if his own family excommunicated him. After all, a Princeton being anything less than the best is unthinkable."

Alexis shook her head. "It's a shame; he'd probably do a lot better if he wasn't so pressured. Still, that is no excuse for his bitchy attitude." Zane chuckled deeply. "Indeed, he was slightly abrasive. I can't say I miss him; Bastion is a much more positive influence around the dorm." He commented. The night mist curled slowly off of the water.

Thanksgiving came that Thursday (as it always did), and no one was more excited than Chumley, who ate the entire turkey before anyone else could have a bite. "Wow. You really aren't trying to disprove any stereotypes, aren't you, Chum?" Jaden laughed nervously. "God, I hate this dorm." Syrus muttered.

The rest of the Slifers then began to fish out the lukewarm sushi they had been eating every other day that year. Suddenly, Professor Banner flash stepped into the room, startling everyone. "You got me again! I would think you would get less creepy over time, but you still somehow still manage to give me the willies." Jaden said with obvious fear of the dorm's headmaster.

"Frankly, I'm amazed I can even go to sleep in this building, considering you're in it." Syrus forced out.

Banner's glasses gleamed. "You flatter me, boys. I hope you're ready for your Thanksgiving present!" Banner smiled in snake-like fashion. "I don't think you understand this holiday very well, Professor." Chumley mumbled with his mouth full of turkey. "Don't chew with your mouth open, Chumley. I have brought you three a gift in the form of a new roommate!" Banner smiled, then steeped back to reveal a small kid standing in the door.

This boy was about as tall as Syrus, and seemed to have slightly less self-esteem than Syrus as well. The boy had extremely feminine features, even for an anime character. He wore a newsboy cap that obscured his exquisite dark blue hair. "Hello, my name is Blair Flannigan."

Instead of greeting him like a polite human being, Jaden immediately turned to Professor Banner. "What the hell? We don't have enough space in our room for four people. Are we going to fight for who gets to sleep in the beds?" Banner's leer bored into Jaden's soul. "Blair will only be here for a few days. He is considered a prodigy, and scored highly on his written exams. He will be moved to Ra Yellow in a few days, so try to coexist until then. If you don't, you will wish you had never been born." Banner said pleasantly. "Yes sir I apologize for my insolence sir!" Jaden quickly attempted to avoid a fate worse than death. "Alright, follow us, Blair!" They hustled over to Jaden's room.

Jaden and Chumley quickly pulled out an air mattress from the janitor's closet. Blair did not speak to the boys at all, no matter what they said. Just as the new student was getting settled in, Professor Banner stopped by.

"Boys, we are supposed to rendezvous at the main academy building in 15 minutes. Principal Sheppard is holding an assembly." "I'm pretty sure that you can't do that. Today is a legal holiday." Jaden accurately pointed out. "We're not in America anymore, Jaden. Suck it." The Slifer boys begrudgingly went over to the assembly hall, Blair trailing behind them.

The entire student body was crowded into a set of bleachers, where a general white noise of conversation started. Unfortunately, the Slifer boys could not sit with Alexis or Bastion, as the dorms were segregated into different rows. On a large screen on the wall, Principal Sheppard's face appeared via Skype technology.

"Greetings, students of Duel Academy! I hope you're enjoying having classes off today! I realize many of our American students are celebrating Thanksgiving, so I will keep this meeting short. As many of you know, the end of the semester coincides with our holiday break. You will all be free to go home for two weeks, beginning on December 22nd. However, it is customary for Duel Academy to engage in a friendly competition with our rival school, North Academy, right before the break."

Syrus nodded, having heard about North Academy from his brother. North Academy is in Russia, whereas Duel academy is in the Southern Pacific Ocean, making their climates nearly opposites. North Academy is also known for their differing styles of training. Duel Academy is well-known for teaching finesse and honing Zanpakuto-related skills. At Duel Academy, a few students have even achieved Bankai, the highest level of power a Zanpakuto can attain. At North academy, more emphasis is placed on martial arts and punishing physical training. Few North Academy students even have Zanpakuto, much less Shikai or Bankai.

"We will be choosing a representative from our finest combatants to participate in this School Duel. Last year, Zane Truesdale won in about three minutes, with no effort whatsoever on his part. In order to maintain friendly relations and create an exciting match, we will be choosing someone else." Almost everyone in the room stared at the stoic Obelisk, who gave them no reaction in return.

"Ugh, once again everyone looks for an excuse to suck Zane's dick." Jaden said with mock resentment. "I wouldn't mind doing that…" Blair muttered. "Wait, what did you just say, Blair?" Jaden hoped his ears deceived him. "Nothing!" The diminutive child snapped.

"Zane is pretty strong. But mom says that I got the looks!" Syrus said pathetically. "Sure you did, Sy." Chumley chuckled. "As much as I hate representing this school in any way, shape, or form, I must admit, this seems like an exciting opportunity." Jaden said. "I don't know, they might not want a Slifer representing them. They're more likely to pick someone like Alexis or Bastion." Syrus said. Jaden smirked. "In that case, I'll just have to prove that I'm the best choice for the job!"

Bastion and Alexis were sitting in the Obelisk section of the bleachers, listening to Sheppard attentively. "Well, this is intriguing. You should consider going for it, Bastion! I'm sure it'll be fun!" Alexis said lightly. Bastion cocked an eyebrow. "I surely will. Aren't you going to be participating as well?" he inquired.

She shrugged. "I'm not interested. These types of competitions have never been very much more than petty excuses for fights anyway. For a newly promoted student like you though, it will be a great way to establish some prestige and authority around the dorm. Power is the only thing most Obelisks will respect." Bastion sat quietly, mulling it over.

The sleepy students lazed through the afternoon. While Syrus decided to join Chumley's afternoon napping session, Jaden walked aimlessly through the campus, a hollow feeling pervading. He thought back to previous Thanksgivings with his family, back in Los Angeles. Jaden tended not to think about his parents too much. He missed them, but the feeling of being completely in control of his fate was greatly appealing to him. Somehow, he didn't think they would be thinking of him too much either.

The Slifer was snapped out of his reverie as he walked by the Obelisk Blue dorm. The maple tree he was standing under rustled, despite the lack of wind. Jaden peeked into the branches to see Blair, balanced on the edge of a tree limb.

Jaden was confused; what was Blair doing near the Obelisk Blue dorm? He hid quietly behind the tree trunk, curious as to what his new roommate was doing. Blair jumped from the tree branch to a balcony on the buildings' second floor.

Unfortunately, the windows were open, allowing Blair free access to the room. Jaden frowned. He was not against Blair stealing from an Obelisk, but it was the middle of the day, and security cameras were no doubt working just fine. Jaden climbed up the tree, taking great care to stay out of Blair's sight.

Blair dug through a closet, grabbing a shirt, The Slifer Red then smelled the shirt, seeming to take pleasure in the scent. Jaden was becoming slightly disturbed. "OK, so Blair is gay. That's good to know, I guess." However, the rather awkward display was thankfully cut short by the sound of voices outside the door. "I'll see you guys later." Both Blair and Jaden heard the voice of Zane. Jaden very nearly fell out of the tree. "Oh shit! This is Zane's room! Blair, get out of there!" His cracking voice screamed at her.

Blair immediately ran towards the balcony, the newsboy cap falling to the floor in the process. Jaden caught sight of long, flowing dark blue hair. Along with the cap, a faded bronze hair clip clattered against the expensive linoleum. She hurdled the balcony falling ten feet to the ground with no sign of injury. Jaden realized something that really should have obvious; Blair was a girl.

"This is just like Syrus' harem anime!" Jaden observed in a rare instance of cultural awareness. Although calling what Syrus watched "culture" was pushing it. Jaden had no further time to think about it when he felt the cold steel of a Zanpakuto against his neck.

"If you stole any of my belongings, you're dead." Zane said. There was no malice in his voice, just a grave promise. Jaden quickly turned out his pockets, showing he had nothing. Zane's dead serious expression did not change.

"Jaden, we will forget this incident ever happened. However, if you ever enter my room again, under any circumstances, you will be dead before you gain any concept of your own foolishness. Every last atom of your being will be eradicated into nothingness. All traces of your existence will be erased. Is that clear?" Jaden managed a "yes." With that, Zane was gone in a flash. Jaden let out his breath, before scrambling from the premises. His need to leave was so great, he immediately released his Zanpakuto and used his Streaking Comet technique.

For the rest of the day, the tension between Jaden and Blair grew and festered. However, he doubted she would appreciate it if he ratted her out, so he stayed quiet. After dinner, he found an excuse to have a word with her, taking her to the pier. She took off her newsboy cap, which she managed to put back on before anyone noticed, showing her long and beautiful hair.

"I don't understand, Blair. Why do you care so much about concealing your gender? You know, the Academy would accept you if you were a boy or a girl." Jaden said, confused. "It's him…the Kaiser." "Who, Zane? Why were you in his room earlier?" He asked. She blushed heavily.

"How can you say his name so lightly? The Kaiser, he's my…idol. I met him at a local tournament in America. The way he fought….so graceful….so beautiful. I've been in love with him ever since I was a little kid. I thought that if I dressed as a boy, I would be able to get closer to him more easily." She stuttered out. Jaden began to laugh, much to her surprise. "It's not funny!" A new fire seemed to emerge from her. Jaden looked at her with derision.

"Oh, but it so is. I can't believe you lied about your gender, just to get close to a guy who couldn't give less of a care about you. I bet he's never even spoken to you!" Jaden mocked. She snarled, "No, he hasn't! But he will notice me!" She replied pathetically, only furthering Jaden's caustic laughter.

"Right, fangirl. You could get in trouble with both the school and the United States government for lying about your identity. And frankly, I don't want anything to do with that, so I'm going to Sheppard with this information." Jaden said with forced dramatic flair, so as to get a reaction out of the girl.

As Jaden expected, Blair got extremely angry. What he did not expect, however, was for her to pull out a Zanpakuto. She swung a short tanto sword at him, but he easily dodged. His shark-like grin deeply unnerved the young girl. She swung a telegraphed horizontal strike at him, but the Slifer ducked under her and grabbed her wrist.

"Now that's what I like to see! You have a little fire after all!" He let her go, and she sprung backwards, her eyes hard with determination. "I'm strong for my age!" She yelled. Jaden's grin immediately fell, replaced with a look of pure mortification. "Oh great…you're telling me you aren't even old enough to be here!?"

"That's right, I'm only twelve. But Sheppard made a special exception. He said I show remarkable prowess with a sword, and he permitted me a week's tour of the island. He just doesn't know I'm a girl!" Blair said, satisfied with herself. "You must have some sort of complexity addiction. Your story is ever-changing." Jaden snarked.

"It's probably too complicated for you to understand. You look like you'd have trouble reasoning your way out of a paper bag." She taunted. Jaden's confidence did not falter for one second. "In that case, why don't you show me how good you are. I'm sure I'll understand then!"

Just as Jaden was about to draw his sword, both his and Blair's attentions were drawn to two figures standing on the mast of a cargo ship above them. Zane stood on the very top of the sail, balancing on the tips of his toes, while Alexis lazed in the crow's nest.

Alexis jumped downwards. "Jaden, you can't be seriously considering fighting a middle school girl, can you?" "Of course not! But she was kinda asking for it!" Alexis giggled. Zane flash stepped in front of Blair, who was dumbstruck at his presence. "Z-Zane!" She almost yelled.

His glare alone was enough for her to spill. "I was the one who broke into your room today, Zane. Not Jaden." She admitted. Zane looked slightly more sympathetic. "Why did you do that, Blair?" he said patiently. "Because, I want to know you! You've been such an influence in my life! I want to be an influence in yours! I love you, Zane!" Her emotional outburst shocked Zane, who wasn't sure how to react.

Alexis smiled. "Blair, sweetie, you can't just sneak your way into someone's heart like that. The basis of every good relationship is open trust and communication. This situation could have been avoided if you had simply been honest." She summated. Blair pointed a finger in jealously. "You're just saying that because you want Zane all for yourself!" Alexis froze up, not sure what to say. Luckily for her, Zane stepped in.

"Listen, I'm flattered, but you're gonna have to go home. The ferry comes by tomorrow morning. We'll notify your parents, and you'll have to go. I'm sorry, but that's just how it is." She nodded sadly. "I understand, Zane."

Without incident, Blair was escorted to the ferry the very next morning, her bags completely packed. Jaden, Alexis, and Zane decided to see her off, although why, they did not know. Something in the child's tenacity, her absolute conviction in her goals, inspired them in different ways. As Blair was in seventh grade, Jaden and Alexis would be seeing her enter the academy for real in two years, a fact that they were somewhat in trepidation of.

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and I hope you enjoyed the ninth chapter of Kids With Swords!**

**This chapter was one of those where you kinda just want to get it out of the way so that you can get to the real meat of the story, which is also why this chapter is a little shorter than usual. I don't hate Blair or anything like that, but I do think that the story potential for her character is somewhat limited. **

**I personally counted this episode in canon as filler when I first saw it, so I was highly surprised when Blair appeared later on in the story. It was actually a good twist on the show's part. Unfortunately, this also meant I couldn't just disregard this episode in KWS, despite it having a rather silly filler plot. Otherwise, I would have no explanation for Blair showing up later down the road.**

**Next chapter will be the match between Jaden and Bastion, with the winner representing Duel Academy in the School Duel! See you next week!**


	10. UNDERDOGS NEVER LOSE

_Ambition is impatient of both delay and rivals._

At 9 that same morning, all of the schools professors, as well as Zane himself, were seated around a boardroom table, having a meeting about the upcoming school duel. Crowler was in the middle of a long rant, par for the course for him. "Principal Sheppard, surely you aren't serious?! Why on earth would we choose someone other than Zane? Surely he is the most powerful of our students?"

Sheppard nodded. "That is certainly true. However, North Academy's principal emailed me this morning. They are using a freshman as their representative." "And why would they do that?" Crowler questioned. "I have no idea!" Sheppard said cheerfully. "I simply feel that in the spirit of competition, we should enter a freshman as well. After all, it would produce a much more satisfying match that way. It only took Zane three minutes to win last year." Sheppard rationalized.

"Actually, it was two minutes and fifty seconds, Headmaster." Zane interjected. "Ah, my mistake, Zane. Anyways, does anyone have any suggestions for a candidate?" Various shrugs went around the table, as many of the teachers really did not care about the school duel.

Zane finally spoke up. "Jaden. He will represent Duel Academy well." He said tersely.

Crowler knew that Jaden's name would somehow pop up, and already prepared a response. "A Slifer? Nonsense, Zane! What about Alexis Rhodes, or Bastion Misawa?" Sheppard stroked his goatee. "Alexis has already voiced her disinterest in competing. However, Bastion Misawa may be an option. I believe he was just promoted to Obelisk Blue, correct?" Sheppard sharply inquired. "Yes, he was!" Crowler eagerly replied.

"Well, this is a bit of a predicament. Bastion has also voiced his wanting to participate." Sheppard noted. Professor Banner, who had spent the entirety of the meeting in silence until that point, spoke up. "Well, I'm sure that they would appreciate an opportunity to test their skills against one another. Perhaps a sanctioned match shall be a good way to see who is worthy." He said with a sibilant hiss.

Every teacher at the table nodded, with the exception of Crowler. "Banner, you can't be serious! Bastion is an exemplary student, a combatant who uses logic and reasoning in battle, and a gentleman! Jaden is a slacker, he's selfish, and rushes into battle like a raging bull!" Zane smirked. "All of your points are valid, Professor, but we are testing the best fighter, and they are both strong."

Sheppard nodded. "We will hold the fight on Monday. Inform the boys in class today, Professor Banner."

"Wait, you mean I have a chance to be in the School Duel?" Jaden pointed a finger at himself. Banner chuckled. "Yes, you do. You will be facing off against Mr. Misawa over there tomorrow. Whoever is the victor shall represent this fine Academy in the internationally televised School Duel! Who knows, you might even get a deal with Adidas or something!" Banner explained. Jaden turned around in his desk, locking eyes with Bastion. A nervous, yet intense look was shared between them.

After class, Bastion invited Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, and Alexis to his dorm room, where he had just finished setting up his new grill. Jaden carried in a package of hot dogs. "I can't believe they let you ship in a grill, but I'm not complaining!" Jaden said with a grin. Bastion allowed a small smile.

Alexis surveyed the boys. "I'm surprised you two aren't a little more nervous. After all, your match is tomorrow."

"It's no big deal! I'm excited! May the best man win, right Bastion?" said Jaden.

Bastion laid out hamburger patties on the grill."Indeed. This will be a great opportunity to see if I am truly worthy of Obelisk Blue. I have been waiting to face off against you for a long time, Jaden. I've been preparing for it." Bastion replied coolly." Wow, Jaden, I don't know whether you should honored or scared!" Chumley said as he gorged himself with chips. Jaden and Bastion fist-bumped in a show of sportsmanship.

The three Slifers walked back to their dorm, stuffed with Bastion's food. "Nice of him to feed us!" Chumley said happily.

"Yeah, considering he fed you, it was very magnanimous of him indeed." Syrus snarked. "Come to think of it, I hope it wasn't poisoned or anything! That would be very lame of him!" Chumley said with sudden worry. "Nah, it's no problem. Bastion's smart, but he's honorable too." Jaden said.

The next morning, Jaden was eating breakfast while listening to some of his favorite "pump-up" music, which blared across the dorm building.

"Jaden, shouldn't you be concentrating on the match? Bastion's been training for weeks for this. You trained for half an hour last night." Syrus pointed out. "Well, if you don't subtract the time we went for that food run." Chumley laughed. "Hey, Bastion has his ways of training, and I have mine. There's no reason to stress about this anyway. It's not even that important." Jaden said.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce you to the Duel Off, a match that will decide Duel Academy's representative in the upcoming School Duel!

In this corner, we have the newest member of Obelisk Blue, Bastion Misawa!" A fair amount of applause greeted the black-haired boy. The stadium's seats were nearly filled. Many students seemed to care about the school duel, despite its lack of true purpose.

"And in this corner… some punk." Only Syrus and Chumley clapped. Jaden was not amused. Zane and Alexis were standing near the door, staring on impassively. "This will be a match between instincts and intelligence." Zane said with a note of vague interest, as though he were observing a dog doing tricks. Alexis nodded.

"Jaden, the time has come! Today, I will prove that I am worthy of the Obelisk Blue title!" Bastion bombastically announced. Jaden sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Just get it out of your system, man. Remember, this isn't really that serious." Jaden felt the need to remind his friend. "Ah, my apologies. I do not mean to offend you. But you must realize, I've been waiting for this match for a very long time." Jaden drew his sword, a deadly smirk on his face. "In that case, I won't disappoint you!"

Both combatants immediately released their Shikai, not bothering with any sort of warm-up. Their blades clashed at the center of the arena, both fighters staring each other down. Bastion's ever-shifting grey eyes could not meet Jaden's piercing brown ones.

"You will find it impossible to beat me with your usual tricks, Jaden. I have observed your past battles against Chazz and the Paradox Brothers. I know every one of your predictable attacks." They broke off, Jaden skidding across the floor. "Just because you can see them coming doesn't mean you can stop them!" Jaden jumped into the air.

_"He can't be performing an earth-based or water-based attack. He would wreck the building if he used the former, and he needs to be near a source of water to do the latter. I suppose he's probably using fire."_ Bastion deduced.

"**Eiyu No Hoshi: Hanabi Hana **(Hero of The Stars: Firework Meteor)." A volley of crackling orange fireballs rained upon Bastion. Using Kotomaru, Bastion immediately activated Koen, an orange shield projecting itself in front of him. Bastion dodged a few of the small fireballs, but they were absorbed by his energy shield easily as well. Jaden immediately put the fire out, so as not to endanger any of the audience.

Bastion let his shield down, which was unfortunate for him, as Jaden appeared right in front of it, Daitoppen wind encasing his blade. Jaden's sword grinded against Bastion's barrier. Bastion smirked, confident that Jaden would be unable to push through.

The Slifer proved him wrong when Bastion's Koen began to crack. Bastion hastily flash stepped away, taking to the air. Manipulating the air around him, Jaden gathered and pressurized a condensed sphere of wind under his feet, planning on using it as a jump point. The air, held together by Jaden's reiatsu, burst upwards like a geyser when Jaden stopped holding it together. He shot up at Bastion, barely missing him.

Jaden, cursing his poor aim, managed to slow himself before he reached the ceiling. Bastion was eager to capitalize on his rival's mistake. "Bakudo #30: Shitosu Sansen!" Bastion's hand flashed with bright yellow energy, drawing a triangle in front of him. Three meringue yellow triangle points slammed into Jaden's body, trapping him against the ceiling.

Instinctively, Jaden unleashed a stream of fire from his mouth, engulfing Bastion. While his Aegis shield protected him form the brunt of the flames, it broke Bastion's concentration enough for his binding spell to dissipate. Jaden fell from the ceiling, dropping his heel on Bastion's back, driving both of them back onto the floor. Just as they were about to hit the ground, Jaden drove his other foot into Bastion's stomach, causing an unpleasant crunch to be heard by the audience.

Bastion was dazed, in tremendous pain. He bounced up from the ground, such was the force of his impact. Jaden grabbed his katana and whipped it in a circle rapidly. Augmenting the swing with Daitoppen, Jaden blew Bastion across the arena in a wind tunnel. As Bastion crumpled against the ground, many in the crowd had to clap at the skillful display. For a mere Slifer, Jaden seemed to be getting the better of Bastion.

However, Bastion was quick to get up, shrugging his injuries off. "Quite the showman, aren't you?" he stated dryly. "Maybe they would start cheering for you if you did something other than getting your ass kicked!" Jaden taunted.

The crowd began to get into the battle, jeering at the trash talk between combatants. Alexis laughed. "This is a battle of who has the sharpest wit more than anything!" She said. Zane frowned. "I've seen less theatrics from John Cena than what these two are putting out."

Jaden let another river of fire flow from his sword. As the flames progressed towards Bastion, the Obelisk threw his palm up. "**Hado 20: Kurosu Hasami** (Cross Scissor)." Two thin lines of energy emerged from Bastion's sword, meeting in an X-shape. The X flew across the arena, nullifying Jaden's fire. Jaden ducked and somersaulted the avoid the kido, Bastion deactivating it as soon as Jaden avoided it. Jaden fought to avoid the disorientation that naturally occurred from the somersault, which was difficult, as Bastion pressed the attack.

Bastion's rapier was devastatingly quick, grazing Jaden many times as the Slifer attempted to block. Jaden tried to offset Bastion's momentum with wind manipulation, but the Obelisk was giving him no time or space to create a counter-offensive.

Jaden's sword clanged against Bastion's Koen, each strike proving to be more fruitless than the last. "_What's going on? I fell slower, not in sync…"_ Jaden's thoughts were rapid and choppy.

_"__**Perhaps the time has come for you to learn what it means to be a king…. Jaden Yuki**__!"_ The voice was back. The Hero Of The Stars was once again threatening to dominate Jaden's mind. The rough voice was loud, far too loud. Suddenly, Jaden found himself far away from Bastion, far away from the ring, far away from the island….

A sprawling metropolis, devoid of life. Skyscrapers, yearning to achieve their namesake, stood proudly among a desolate landscape. A city with no sound stretched before Jaden's vision. It was twilight, the sun casting an orange glow over the empty infrastructure. Even though he was dazed, Jaden recognized his surroundings. He was in the city he grew up in. Suddenly, he focused his vision directly in front of him, on the street.

An imposing figure stood, golden eyes boring into Jaden. At odds with the modern landscape, the man wore medieval armor, pitch black in hue. Mocking flashes of gold could be seen on the armor; six spike tendrils jut around the man's head. A red cape fluttered to his side, despite the lack of wind.

"**Jaden Yuki**." The man said, a coarse, layered tone to his voice. "Where am I? Who are you?" Jaden asked in confusion and accusation. The man laughed. "**Where are you? What an obvious postulate. You are fighting that Obelisk, a boy who is stronger than you both mentally and physically. However, you are also here. You are staring at yourself**." Jaden growled. "Listen, I really am not in the mood to hear speeches about how stupid or useless I am. I thought I got enough of that when Chazz ran away."

To Jaden's surprise, the person in front of him laughed, an unnerving, yet strangely appealing noise. "**His criticism is juvenile and childish. I am the Supreme King, the hero of this universe. I am your very soul, Jaden Yuki. So naturally, my opinion will hold more weight than that of a jealous schoolboy. And it is my opinion that you are an individual who lacks the qualities needed for your job**."

Jaden was taken aback. "How can you be my Zanpakuto? You can't be my soul, you're completely different from me! I can tell from your vocabulary alone!" Jaden said. The Supreme King's expression remained unchanged. "**I am your true form, Jaden. I am the end result of your hedonistic impulses and selfish desires. We are both in mad quests for freedom, and yet how we perceive freedom seems to differ**."

"Oh really now? And how do you perceive freedom?" Jaden said, humoring the king. "**It is a difference in attitude. You seek freedom by forming friendships, creating a support network strong enough to bounce back from failure. But I am different, for in my experience, the best way to attain freedom is through the will to power. I am strong enough to stand on my own. I am strong enough to vanquish my enemies. You are not. But you will learn**."

"What enemies? Do you have other visitors in here?" Jaden asked quizzically. The Supreme King smirked, creeping Jaden out. "**You have a point. But then again, you may also be my enemy, Jaden Yuki. For many years, the human has wielded the Zanpakuto. However, if you cannot beat Zane, or Chazz, or Alexis, then the opposite will finally become a reality! The king will once again rise, and ride into battle on his horse!**" Jaden grimaced.

The king suddenly flash stepped, appearing directly in front of the Slifer boy. An armored hand placed itself on Jaden's chest. "**I could give you a taste. A mere drop of my power could crush Bastion Misawa.**" Jaden pushed him away. "I won't let you! I will win with my own power! Not yours!"

The king stepped back.

"**Your powers? Your lack of wisdom is appalling. I have merely let you borrow from me. You will learn in time….the wisdom and strength required to go to the next level. Until then… you must first win this fight!**"

Jaden suddenly felt himself falling upwards, back to reality.

Jaden was back in the arena, dodging Bastion's sword strikes. He was thankful, as he felt that having a discussion with his soul about the meaning of freedom was really taking him out of his comfort zone. Soon, however, Jaden felt himself slipping back into sync in terms of combat. Bastion went in for a swing, but his sword was held back by Jaden, who clasped the blade in between his hands. Both fighters grunted with exertion. Jaden quickly snapped Kotomaru to the side, aiming a kick at Bastion's ribs. It connected, blowing the Obelisk back.

Jaden and Bastion both caught their breath, staring at each other intently. Bastion noticed a grim, worried look in Jaden's eye. "So, I take it you're ready to get serious, Jaden?" Bastion said.

Truthfully, Bastion was hoping to push Jaden to unleash those Hollow powers he had been researching.

Jaden was clenching his hands, feeling a rush of energy. _"This must be that thing's doing, giving me this energy. I'm gonna have to sort all this out later." _He thought. "I think you may be right, Bastion. You're really strong!" Jaden said kindly. "Why, thank you. I would extend the same praise for yourself. Now then, it's time to finish this."

They ran at each other one more, spurred on by the adulation of the student body. Bastion tensed, sensing a slight change in Jaden's reiatsu. Black tufts of mist coiled off of his body. Bastion smiled as they clashed swords. Perhaps he finally would be privy to Jaden's fascinating Hollow side! Unfortunately for the studious Obelisk, Jaden appeared to consciously suppressing the black mist.

Jaden deftly avoided Bastion's aegis, finding weak points in his defense. With a well-placed strike, Jaden landed a diagonal slash across Bastion's shoulder. Bastion gasped in pain, his blade lurching forward, landing a thin swipe across Jaden's stomach, and ripping his black T-shirt.

Both of them clutched their wounds, blood spatter on the floor. Bastion's Koen spread out, the three points of the shield extending outwards towards Jaden. Jaden's body began to turn red, the hallmark of his signature move, Streaking Comet.

"Well, then, one last strike?" Bastion's unflappable demeanor continued, even in the face of grievous wounds. "Why not? It'll look climactic. The audience will eat this crap up!" Jaden smirked. "Ah, your confidence is intoxicating, Jaden. But even you will be unable to stand up the offensive technique of Kotomaru! I like to call it the **Sano Yari** (Three King's Spear)!"

With that, a rod of orange light shot towards Jaden. The Slifer Red used his Streaking Comet, his hands grinding against the hard light pole. He flipped over it, amazing everyone with his speed.

Bastion shot another spear towards Jaden, catching the Slifer Red. Jaden caught it with his hands, but the momentum forced him back into the wall. Jaden ducked, springing across the arena like a monkey. While orange spears streaked by him, Jaden flowed towards Bastion, putting all of his power into one punch.

"Sorry, Bastion! But the road to becoming a badass…." The flaming fist broke through Bastion's Koen, hitting him right in the stomach. "…goes through you!" He went into an uppercut, causing Bastion to go flying across the room. He skidded to a stop, lying flat on his back.

The audience gasped. Bastion was burned badly, blisters erupting all over his red skin. But the black-haired boy continued to fight. He stood up slowly, his legs shaking. Jaden was impressed by his rival's determination. He cooled down from his streaking comet technique, his own body beginning to creak from amount of strain he was putting on it.

"Hey man, you doing OK?" Jaden asked out of genuine concern. Bastion's hands were on his knees, his breath ragged and inconsistent. "I never imagined you'd be so powerful, but what really impresses me is your attitude Jaden. I prepared for you, but you were too much for me. I surrender."

Slowly, the audience began to clap out of respect for the two fighters. Bastion ambled over to Jaden. "No hard feelings, right?" Jaden asked. "Right." They shook hands, acknowledging mutual respect and friendship. Syrus and Chumley clapped for their friends. Alexis had a strange look on her face as she watched Jaden. Zane looked over at her. "I can't believe that Jaden, of all people, is representing our school. I don't know whether to be offended or impressed."

Alexis shook her head. "He's not so bad of a kid."

The friends finished their barbeque later that evening. Jaden felt strangely disconnected from the event, the voice of the Supreme King always at the back of his mind. He would confront the king later. To compete in the school duel, he would have to achieve the highest level of his sword's power: Bankai.

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the tenth chapter of Kids With Swords!**

**I hope you all enjoyed the battle between Jaden and Bastion, as well as the interactions between Jaden and The Supreme King. Unfortunately for our hero, if wants to learn Bankai, he'll have to train with his malignant inner spirit! Will he be able to accomplish this?**

**Next chapter, the focus shifts to Chazz, and his own journey towards self-discovery. Thanks again for reading!**


	11. LOST IN THE ECHO

_It is only once a man loses everything that he is free to do anything._

Grey clouds were overhead; a storm was brewing. The water was the color of iron, reflecting the sky's surly hue. Chunks of ice idly floated by a small dinghy. A mere rowboat attempted to brave itself against inhospitable conditions. It was only fitting that Chazz Princeton piloted this tugboat.

After his humiliating defeat at the hands of Bastion Misawa, Chazz left Duel Academy in a fit of rage. If he did not grow stronger before he came back, his family would surely disown him, cast him out as weak. That's what they would have done if they had heard wind of Chazz's demotion to Ra Yellow. Instead of facing the humiliation, Chazz preemptively punished himself. He trained in all sorts of places, making his way north up the Philippines.

He went completely off the grid, hunting and killing his own food whenever he didn't steal from a nearby kitchen window. Chazz continued to wear his Obelisk Blue jacket, holding fast to his former glory. He rigorously trained his senses to identify anyone with even a drop of reiatsu he came across. He battled young warriors eager to test their strength. He fought old masters, complacent in their strength. They all fell before his rage. He was inadvertently spreading a fearful reputation for his former school as he trained.

One day, Chazz found himself on the small boat, slumped over in a half-sleep. His neck slumped, causing him to snap awake. He looked at his empty bottle again, as though giving it another glance could somehow refill the container of precious water. Chazz's breath felt heavy, but it seemed his body was holding up better than yesterday. While Chazz was somewhat athletic during his time at Duel Academy, he certainly was not as sporty as Jaden or Zane. But now, it was completely different. Sinewy, veined muscles sculpted his figure, and his once untarnished skin had been riddled with scars.

Despite his outward changes, Chazz remained obsessed with proving his superiority. Whenever he slept, he dreamed of one thing; revenge. It was what he held onto, a center point for his increasingly tenuous sanity. The faces of Crowler, Bastion, and Jaden almost never left his thoughts.

Another face refused to leave his mind as well; Alexis. Chazz laid back, remembering his vain attempts to impress during their days as elementary school children. She never looked at him with anything more than cold dismissal, no matter what he tried. He soon developed a icy veneer as well, but deep down, it hurt that he would never be able to warm those beautiful hazel eyes of hers up. He hated her, too.

During his bitter musings, Chazz failed to notice his boat rocking into what appeared to be an ice shelf. However, as Chazz inspected further, he found that the boat had stumbled onto a landmass. Looking over the ridge of the glacier, Chazz observed a lone building, standing tall against the elements.

In a contrast to the cold white surroundings, the building was straw yellow. Chazz quickly departed his vessel, advancing towards the imposing facility. The words "North Academy" were emblazoned on a rickety wooden sign.

While the snow blew at North Academy, the weather remained gentle at Duel Academy. It was a quiet night, and most sensible people were asleep. While Jaden usually liked to satisfy his urge to party, rave, or any such venture involving girls and loud music, he was unable to partake in his usual activities tonight. When Syrus and Chumley had gone to sleep, Jaden snuck out, traveling to the beach. He parked himself on the edge of a limestone cliff, enjoying the salty sea breeze. His eyes slowly turned gold as he retreated into his inner realm.

He once again found himself in downtown Los Angeles, the city remaining in perpetual twilight. The Supreme King stood in front of him, his countenance an unreadable brick wall. "**I'm glad you have sought me out, Jaden Yuki. Then again, you really didn't have much of a choice. I probably would've hijacked your body and made you perform embarrassing stunts**." The king explained with incredible seriousness.

Jaden laughed. "Honestly, that's what I would do too. Still, it kinda sucks we have to do this at night. I have illicit activities I could be doing right now!"

"**If there was ever a time to bitch, this is not it**." The king replied. "But couldn't we have just done this during English or something? I usually just sleep in there anyway." Jaden countered. The king appeared lost for words. "**I suppose you're right. Your classmates would probably notice the gold eyes, though. Perhaps you should invest in some colored contacts.**" "I'm sure Bastion will hook me up." "**Wonderful. But since we're here already, we might as well get to the training. After all, your opponent will most likely possess Bankai as well.**"

"I still don't really get what Bankai is. My parents really didn't mention it that much."

"**Understandable. Bankai is the final stage, and the true form, of a Zanpakuto. It demands a level of self-actualization most humans never achieve. It requires being completely in tune with a soul**." "This is starting to sound really Buddhist to me. What's next, reincarnation?" Jaden replied.

The supreme king gave him a strange look before continuing.

"**Anyways, how long it takes depends on the individual. Some people are so stunted, so repressed, that they are never able to achieve Bankai. For some, it only takes a few days. I'm sure it will be the latter in your case.**"

"Why do you say that? We're not exactly twins." That earned another strange look from the king.

"**That's true. Our personalities do clash a little. But our goals are the same; securing our freedom and happiness**." Jaden stopped him. "And how exactly do you plan on achieving your freedom and happiness?" His question seemed to pierce the Supreme King's metaphorical armor.

"**That is irrelevant. For the moment, we're on the same team. Winning the school duel might even get that ice bitch to notice you.**" The king desperately hoped that flustering Jaden would divert his attention. Jaden smirked. "I tell you, she's a piece of work, but I don't appreciate you talking about Alexis like that." Jaden said smoothly. "**Whatever. As if I could truly care about your ridiculous trysts.**

**Now then, to achieve Bankai, we will need to be able to synchronize our instincts. Instincts are ultimately the most important factor in a battle, to the point of tipping the scales of an otherwise even battle. Look at Bastion Misawa for example. He is an extremely intelligent person, but his cold logic was unable overcome your instincts, your passion. So…**" The king drew a sword, one that was pitch-black with a red handle, a color inversion of Jaden's. **"….we shall have ourselves a spar.**"

Chazz approached the building, shivering because of the cold. He stood in front of an old-fashioned drawbridge. "I can't believe it's 2014, and one of the most prestigious boarding schools in the world uses a medieval drawbridge as an entrance. I wonder how I get it to open…" Chazz wondered aloud.

"If this place is anything like Duel Academy, the problem can probably solved with brute force and an abandonment of critical thinking skills." Chazz flared his reiatsu, a light blue aura surrounding him, alerting anyone inside of his presence. To his complete lack of surprise, the drawbridge lowered, giving him access to the school.

Chazz slowly walked inside, his bloodstained Obelisk Blue coat flapping in the arctic wind. He saw the main school building off in the distance, while he entered what seemed to be a small village. It appeared to be fashioned after a old western town, as there was a dusty main road surrounded by buildings on either side. Chazz guessed the buildings were the student's dormitories.

However, he had little time to wonder, as he soon found himself surrounded. Fifty students, all male, had begun creeping up on him. They all wore variations of the same uniform, a trench coat, jeans, and boots. Their clothes were either brown or black in color.

"I take it you chumps are the welcoming committee?" Chazz said, no hint of trepidation in his voice. "You'd be right to assume such a thing. We are the best and brightest of North Academy." The crowd separated apart, to reveal who had spoken.

A boy who looked to be about two years older than Chazz had smirked. He had long black hair, which was worn in a ponytail. He wore a dull orange muscle shirt with a black leather vest and jeans. His eyes were dark and hooded, which deeply unnerved Chazz.

"My name is Lucien Grimley. You appear to be from Duel Academy. What are you doing here?" He asked. Chazz spat. "Don't associate me with those people." The word "people" was said with hateful venom.

"I see. Well, in that case, we have a proposition for you. Sensing your reiatsu, I can say I'm impressed. Would you be interested in joining us at North Academy? If you prove yourself strong enough, you may get the opportunity to get revenge on Jaden Yuki. It is clear he has wronged you."

Chazz hunched his shoulders. "How do you know about that?"

"Yuki is Duel Academy's representative for the School Duel."

Chazz's ears perked up. "Really? Now you've peaked my interest." Lucien nodded. "Even if you do not wish to participate in this School Duel, I'm sure you would appreciate the opportunity to train. Our entrance exams are quite different from Duel Academy's, and much more difficult as a result."

"I'll be the judge of that, ya creepy kid. Where do I take this entrance exam?" Chazz questioned. "Why, right here."

Fifty North Academy students drew their swords, bloodthirsty grins on their faces. "You will fight these fifty all in a row. If you survive one opponent, you will move on to the next with no break. If you make it to the end, you will face the strongest of us all. I'm sure you understand the rules." Lucien explained patiently.

Chazz gripped his own blade with excitement. "You bet your ass I do. Sobu Suri, Fuuniji!"

Jaden and the king's spar continued for a very long time. While Jaden was in his mindscape, time passed much more slowly. Their duel went on for hours, but only about ten minutes had passed outside. Despite his impressive array of skills, Jaden found that the Supreme King could do them better, which was only to be expected. Jaden wore himself out, and he eventually found himself impaled on the king's blade.

"**You're quite lucky these injuries are all in your mind, Jaden Yuki. However, that doesn't make them any less real, does it?**" The king sneered. "Man, training really kinda sucks, doesn't it? It's hard work, and I don't like it!" Jaden whined. "**Believe me, I don't appreciate it either, but with luck, this is the only training you'll have to do for quite some time. Now then, we'll pick up tomorrow**." With that, Jaden snapped back to reality. He was so tired, he collapsed on the smooth green grass, and got some much needed sleep.

Bodies were flying; the dusty ground was irrigated with the blood of North Academy students. Almost all of them were unskilled with their swords, to the point where many did not have shikai. Chazz paid no mind to any of their injuries as he ceaselessly assaulted them.

He flowed between his different weapons easily, smoothly transitioning through one long, continuous combo. Two students rushed at Chazz with low swings. Chazz jumped into the air, kicking both of them in the head at the same time. He flash stepped higher, only to found himself surrounded by four students. They attacked him at the same time, Chazz's speed great enough so he could dodge all four of their blades simultaneously. He pointed his sword at one of them before transforming Fuuinji into a spear, impaling the unfortunate North Academy student.

Chazz lifted the impaled student up. As the poor boy was gasping for breath, he swung him into another combatant, knocking them both out in the process.

The final two opponents let out a desperate battle cry. Chazz reformed his weapon into dual Chinese scimitars, blocking both of their trikes at the same time. Chazz bared his teeth. "**Hado #33, Sokatsui** (Pale Fire Crash)!"

Chazz opened his mouth, a torrent of blue energy fired from his throat. The North Academy students were completely taken by surprise from the unorthodox use of kido. This caused both of them to be fried, their charred bodies slamming against the ground. Eventually, the bloodied Chazz stood atop a mountain of defeated opponents, his sword raised defiantly into the air.

Lucien watched with interest, occasionally sipping from a flask of vodka he kept attached to his belt. Chazz stepped down from the pile of bodies, his eyes widened due to the adrenaline rush. Lucien finished off the bottle. "You're an angry little elf, aren't you?"

Chazz was unamused. "Shut up. Am I finished?" He said tersely. "Not quite. I'm sure it's tough to keep track of, but you actually defeated 49, not 50. Now…" He drew a small sword. "…you will face me to determine North Academy's representative!"

Chazz rolled his eyes. "What, was that supposed to a surprise? Just from the way these worms deferred to you told me enough. If I beat you, then the crown of North Academy will be mine!"

Lucien sighed. "Are you this over-dramatic all of the time? It's very annoying." "Yes!" With that, the two prodigies engaged each other.

Many of Crowler's first period English students were partaking in their usual activities. Most of them, like good students and responsible members of society, were taking notes. Some were getting a jump start on the night's homework.

Bastion was working on a stack of homework papers given to him by lazy, rich students as per usual. Alexis was reading a book, while Syrus was browsing Reddit on his phone. All three of them had cups of coffee in front of them.

Jaden usually took first period as an opportunity to take a nap, but he was not sleeping today. He stared into space, his face inscrutable. Colored brown contacts concealed the golden iris of the Supreme King with the warm brown of Jaden's eye.

Crowler strut into the room as he always did, but he noticed something was off today. His eyes briefly settled on Jaden, who appeared to be paying attention for a change. Crowler shrugged, and went back to his lecture.

While Jaden's body was in Crowler's classroom, his consciousness was training for the School Duel, the Ego taking the forefront of Jaden's thought. Currently, Jaden and the Supreme King were practicing water-based techniques, including a larger version of Jaden's Genzai no Ryu. When Jaden returned to his soul realm, he found himself near a lake, the city the rest of the training had taken place in off in the horizon.

The grass was appealingly green, and the water was cold and clear. "I must say, this is much nicer than being in that polluted city." Jaden observed. His alter ego bristled at the comment, but didn't say anything. "**Suidan** (Water Bullets)." Several pellets of blindingly fast liquid shot out of the lake and towards Jaden. Jaden did not fret, using his sword to cut through the water bullets, rendering them little more than splashes.

"Hey, how come water techniques don't seem to come as naturally to me as fire, wind, or earth do?" Jaden asked naively. The king growled, becoming fed up with the obnoxious youth in front of him. "**Creating a powerful water attack purely from the moisture in the air is incredibly taxing, not to mention time-consuming. It's much more efficient to simply use it around bodies of preexisting water. Besides, if you aren't creative enough to use fire, earth, and wind to win a fight, then water attacks probably wouldn't help anyway.**"

"Alright, you don't have to get so bitchy with me. Where do you get off being so rude, anyway? If you think it makes you look cooler, it doesn't." Jaden snapped. The king flash stepped in front of Jaden, although the young boy was far from shocked; his Zanpakuto spirit really relied on that trick too much. "**Where do you get off being so flippant? It hardly makes you look cool, either.**"

"I have friends and family who disagree. Even though I mouth off to them, at least I don't try to degrade them like you!" A truly dangerous look entered the king's golden eyes, then subsided. "**Remember this; you are not the only one benefiting from this training; I am as well. And I believe that for now, our time together is coming to an end. You appear to have the Bankai down. However, do not grow complacent. My goals will be secured…. One way or another.**" Jaden drifted away from his soul realm for what he hoped to be the last time.

Luckily, Jaden woke up a minute or two after English class had ended. Most of the students, including Syrus and Bastion, had left the room to go to their next lesson. Alexis was packing up her books when she saw Jaden move again.

She smiled at him. "I'm glad you decided to join us in the real world. I thought I would have to carry you out of here like a burlap sack." Jaden frowned. While he and Alexis enjoyed sharpening each other's wit, his recent exchange with the Hero Of The Stars put him in a bad mood.

"Hey Lex, do you mind if I talk to you about something later?" He looked so troubled, Alexis chose to let his use of the nickname slide. "Sure, but don't brood. You're not really the brooding sort."

After class, Jaden and Alexis met in the commons. The stood near a railing overlooking the mess hall. The picture window in front them cast a lovely view over the island. Jaden scratched the back of his head. "So, yeah, about-"

"-your Bankai training?" She finished for him.

"Did I tell you I was training to achieve Bankai?"

"No you didn't. But the way you were staring blankly into space for hours, combined with your apparent lack of sleep, made it easy enough for any relatively perceptive person to figure out. Therefore, no one else noticed but Bastion and I. We took the liberty of informing Syrus and Chumley as well, although I don't know why you wouldn't have told them already." She explained dryly.

"Bastion has looked at me kinda weird lately. I guess I was too preoccupied to tell my roommates." Jaden mumbled.

Alexis frowned. "You're the one that keeps prattling on about us being a team."

"We are a team! I know I wouldn't be able to become a badass without your help!" Jaden said.

"It's your Zanpakuto spirit, isn't it?" Alexis said sharply.

"Yeah. I don't know why that guy is such a dick. He's nothing like me at all!"

Alexis' mind raced. "I wouldn't sell yourself short. You are a dick sometimes-" "Hey!" "But that is strange. Especially since you were able to master Bankai in one week." Jaden raised his index finger. "Well, apparently time moves a lot slower in my soul realm that the real world. I would bet on it being closer to a month."

"Whatever. The point is, it was a short time. It took Sode no Shirayuki and I almost three months to achieve Bankai, and we get along swimmingly." Alexis noted.

Jaden let out a goofy grin. "Clearly, this means that I'm a bigger badass than you! I, Jaden Yuki, am officially better than Alexis Rhodes in every possible way!" He shouted from the balcony.

She let a small smirk grace her cold face. "You're too much. But I like you because of that. That said, you haven't quite proven yourself yet. To me, you have, but the student body tends to need more convincing. Winning the School Duel will be a great way to prove you're ready to hang with the big boys."

Jaden's grin fell away, replaced with a look of sincerity. "Everyone here seems so predicated on winning. It's all about promotions and grades. That's not me. To me, whether someone becomes a great warrior or a failure, what really matters is who they are as a person. I want to be a great warrior, but that's not all there is to me, you know?"

Alexis' frown deepened. "What about becoming a badass? To do that, you'd need to win fairly often." She pointed out. "I know. But I would never compromise myself for the sake of a victory. I'm more concerned about having fun."

Her expression lightened. "That's not a bad philosophy to have, I suppose."

Lucien drew a dull grey blade, his eyes devoid of any of the good humor he showed earlier. "We seem to subscribe to different attitudes when it comes to the battle, Mr. Princeton. I could tell by the way you swung your sword, full of reckless abandon, anger. Your dramatics tell me that you are a performer, one who likes to put on a show. So different from myself."

Chazz huffed. "And what exactly is so different about us? I can tell you're just bursting to tell me."

"I wield my sword with the respect, the fear, it deserves. One who does fear his blade is not worthy to wield that blade."

"I feel like this would not make you a very effective warrior." Chazz commented.

"You're wrong. The one who gets too caught up int their quest for glory is the one who fails. Now, **Kare, Kazeshini** (Reap, Wind of Death)."

The blade transformed, green reiatsu swirling around the North academy student. Lucien held two sickles in his hands, held together by black chains. Each scythe had two blades each, giving it the appearance of a pinwheel. Lucien held them on long rods, allowing him to swing them about like a fan. "What do you think?" Lucien said dourly.

Chazz was practically drooling. "Those are the sickest weapons I've ever seen! Can I borrow them later?" "Of course not! What is wrong with you, ya crazy kid!" Lucien shouted at him.

Chazz's fanboyish reaction to Lucien's Zanpakuto masked a darker curiosity. Chazz wondered if his Zanpakuto, Fuuinji, would be able to replicate the twin scythes. They appeared to have no special properties.

Chazz also began to wonder about the possibility of Bankai. During his training, he felt Fuunji's spirit call out to him. The voice suggested plans of action to him during battle, and he often sought out his soul for advice and counsel. He even visited his soul realm, which took the form of a sports stadium, bright lights shining upon green astroturf. He seemed to be right on the verge of a major discovery, and Chazz hoped that this fight would be the final push he needed.

"So, you like my sword, huh? Well, that only shows that you are not a true warrior-" Lucien's pontificating was cut short by Chazz suddenly firing a red blast of energy towards him.

"Shakkaho." Chazz named his kido, giving it another burst of power. The resulting explosion obscured Chazz's vision, dust getting in his eyes. Suddenly, he heard the clinking sounds of a chain above him, and it was only that telltale sound that let him avoid death at Lucien's hands. The pinwheel scythe caught on Chazz's Obelisk Blue jacket, ripping the already stretched fabric. Chazz discarded the bloodied clothing, exposing a scarred, sculpted torso.

Lucien stood on top of what appeared to be one of the dormitories. He pulled the sickle up towards him as he twirled its twin in the air above, the chains making a distinctive noise.

"Are you afraid yet?"

"Like hell, you pretentious hipster!" Chazz jumped towards Lucien, katana braced in his hands. Lucien threw one of Kazeshini's scythes up into the air, the chain following behind. Chazz swung his sword laterally, but Lucien blocked it with his other blade. While he held Chazz off, Lucien pulled onto the other chain, pulling a scythe directly towards Chazz's shoulder.

Chazz aimed his free hand upwards, wordlessly casting Bakudo #4, Hainwa. An orange electrical rope, cracking with static, coiled around Kazeshini. Chazz yanked his own binding spell rope towards him, pulling the scythe along with him. Lucien looked mortified, and their sword clash was momentarily forgotten. Chazz grabbed one sickle, while Lucien kept a firm grip on the other, each of them pulling on the chain connecting the two like a juvenile game of Tug-O-War.

"This is not funny, you childish little brat! Give me my sword back!"

"On the contrary, I find this situation highly amusing. It's amazing how stupid I could make you look with one low-level binding spell. Thank goodness all of your goons are too busy lying in a pool of their own blood to notice your eminent foolishness." Chazz chirped.

"How dare you! You hide behind your arcane spells to hide poor swordsmanship skill! If you had only used your sword, I would have won by now!" Lucien planned on goading Chazz into giving up an advantage. While this obvious ploy would not work on any sort of rational person, it was to Lucien's favor that Chazz was extremely irrational.

Chazz immediately ceased using his kido, causing the Kazeshini scythe to fly back to its owner's hands. With a snarl, Chazz lunged at Lucien, repelling his dual weaponry with deftness of hand. Lucien managed to keep Chazz on his toes using Kazeshini's unique shape to fly in awkward trajectories, forcing Chazz to rely on flash step.

"Give up! You do not deserve to represent North Academy in our prestigious competition! We, the proud sons of the north, will strike down Duel Academy with our own hands!" However, to Lucien's great surprise, he felt the edge of a black sword against his throat.

"How about that? You were so busy giving your speech, I was able to get the drop on you. I guess I'm a little smarter than you gave me credit for, plebian." Chazz spat, his old arrogance returning as victory was assured. However, to both Chazz's surprise, he heard a slow clap from the ground. A man emerged from one of the dormitories. What struck Chazz most about him was the man's utter normalcy. He had a small shock of brown hair, and a five-0-clock shadow. He wore plain brown robes and boots.

"Good show, Chazz Princeton. You have beaten the gauntlet, as well as Lucien here, our strongest student." The man said genially. "I take it you are the headmaster of this place?" Chazz said slowly. "That's correct. I am Headmaster Foster." He extended a gloved hand, which Chazz shook.

"And I'm certainly glad you have decided to fight for us. Even though enrolling into a school for the sake of an extracurricular activity is generally unethical, I have been looking forward to kick Duel Academy's proverbial face into the equally proverbial dirt for quite some time now. I'm sure you understand the feeling, Mr. Princeton." The headmaster said with a soft hiss.

Chazz nodded. "I could care less. I must defeat Jaden Yuki. I must reclaim myself. I must prove my strength." Chazz said with a stony expression. "Indeed. Some might perpetuate the impression that a man's strength is all that matters in the end. It's how he is remembered." The headmaster prodded at Chazz's anger, stoking the smoldering flames of revenge.

"In that case, I must become the strongest of all. I must achieve Bankai." Chazz said with awful finality. The headmaster put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "That you will, my boy. You have both the strength, and the desire, to step into the halls of greatness." Chazz's eyes were stormy as they walked towards the school.

A/N

Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the eleventh chapter of Kids With Swords!

It really is a shame that this story gets practically no feedback, as I feel that this one of the better chapters I've written for the story thus far. For those few who read this story, I urge you to tell me what you thought of it. I'l never beg for reviews, so if you don't want to review, then don't. I really would like to hear what you guys have to say though.

**That said, I enjoy this interpretation of Chazz that I've written. One thing I've noticed when writing this story is that the characters tend to take up identities of their own outside of their canon counterparts, and they end up more memorable as a result while still retaining the qualities that made them good characters in the first place.**

**I chose to use Lucien Grimley instead of the Czar because I felt that Lucien had a more distance personality, and Kazeshini was a great Zanpakuto for him to represent his fascination with the Grim Reaper. I hope you all enjoyed his fight with Chazz.**

**Next chapter is the rematch between Jaden and Chazz, and its a chapter I've been looking forward to for some time! See you next Saturday!**


	12. POWER TO STRIVE

_Buried beneath the pressure of life is boundless potential_.

In a poorly lit assembly hall, one man stood above all others. The North Academy student body had been summoned to hear the news. "Ladies and Gentlemen of this fine academy, the day has come for you to learn who will be representing us in the upcoming fight against Duel Academy." Chancellor Foster announced. At the mention of their hated rival school, the North Academy students launched into jeers and boos. Foster waited for them to subside.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, our new transfer student will be fighting for us. The "Black Thunderbolt" himself, Chazz Princeton!" Chazz stood haughtily with his arms crossed on the assembly stage. He wore a dirty black trench coat with a grey muscle shirt underneath. Brown boots clacked on the wooden floor.

"Duel Academy will fall!" He shouted, much to the audience's jubilation. In accordance with his new nickname, a bolt of lightning struck outside.

On the morning of the School Duel, Jaden got up early, careful not to disturb his roommates. He snuck across the grounds to the beach, where he found Alexis waiting for him. They were both wearing comfortable sweatpants and t-shirts, as they just got out of bed.

"Oh, hey. What brings you here, Lex?" Jaden asked in what he thought was a romantic voice. "I figured you'd get up early today, so I thought I'd meet you here so that we could have a little spar. To assess your skills and whatnot." She said neutrally.

"Sure, sounds good! Although I'm afraid I can't show you my Bankai yet. It's not exactly unobtrusive." Alexis smiled. "Yeah, most aren't. I must say though, you've become quite powerful Jaden, especially considering it's only been a semester. You probably won't even need to use your Bankai."

Jaden chuckled nervously. "I'm not so sure. There's been a lot of hype going around about their representative. They call him the "Black Thunderbolt"." He said while waving his hands. Alexis shrugged.

"North Academy has not been a worthy opponent for us for many years now. Our swords our sharp, and our fighting spirits are near perfect. Meanwhile, the souls of many North students are about as dull as a stone. Not one of their number has achieved Bankai, at least that we know of."

"You're so smart, Lex! I don't know what I'd do without you!" Jaden said, causing her to blush. "Think nothing of it. Now then, let's get some training in before the pre-game."

Later, Jaden trudged towards the pier, where he saw a crowd of people gathered around a rather expensive-looking ferry. A camera crew was there, craning to get a good look at who was departing the boat. As soon as Jaden tried to go over there, the cameramen accosted him. He saw Chancellor Sheppard, and bumped his way through the crowd to get to him.

"Ah, Jaden, my boy! Good to see you!" Sheppard had taken to acting a lot more friendly towards Jaden ever since he was named the school's champion. Jaden didn't really buy the act, but he played along with it for the sake of avoiding conflict.

"It appears we will finally learn who this "Black Thunderbolt" figure is…" Sheppard muttered. From the cruise ship, a group of twenty North Academy students filed onto the pier, including Lucien Grimley. Chancellor Foster shuffled over to Sheppard, quickly taking his hand as he discarded a dusty brown traveling cloak.

"Foster, you old son of a bitch! How ya doin?" Sheppard grinned. "Quite well, since last year's defeat." Foster said stiffly. "Oh, it was a close match." Sheppard said diplomatically. "It really wasn't. Zane beat our fighter in less than three minutes. We were only on the island for about twenty." Foster replied with no small note of bitterness in his voice. "Then let us hope for an exciting match!" Sheppard said.

"That's right, especially so that we can get some good ratings! This is being broadcast worldwide, baby!" one of the cameramen interjected in a stereotypical 50's reporter voice. Jaden took the opportunity to get a word in. "Wait, this fight is going to be broadcast worldwide!?" "That's right, my boy. Last year we got more views than the World Cup and the Super Bowl combined!" The man said cheekily.

Jaden blushed. "Oh. In that case I probably should've showered. Chumley's hygiene is beginning to rub off on me, I'm afraid." Jaden said with audacity.

"Spoken like a true champion of this school. You must be Jaden Yuki. North Academy has been looking forward to this match with gusto. I hope you do not disappoint." Foster said icily. "Yeah, yeah, enough with the suspense already. Who's my opponent?" Jaden said with a smile.

"It's me, you slacker." A nasally, rough voice greeted Jaden's ears. A voice that was far too familiar for his liking. He looked up in the direction the noise came from. Chazz stood on the bow of the ship, wearing a black trench coat with no undershirt, showing off a scarred, but well-toned body. The fangirls across the world were squealing at his muscular frame. His Zanpakuto, Fuuinji, was slung across his shoulders. The coat flapped in the wind.

"Chazz? What the hell happened to you? We had no idea where you were!" Jaden said with actual worry. "I was training in mind, body, and soul. While you were sitting in class with your little friends, I was climbing mountains, swimming through rivers, and pushing myself to the limit. To show for it, I have gained a power far beyond what a slacker like yourself could ever hope to achieve." Chazz pointed his sword directly at Jaden with an ugly smirk. "You will submit to me, and I will strike down the champion of this pathetic school in the process!

Before Jaden could reply, the sound of helicopter blades became apparent to everyone on the pier. The helicopter touched down on the lawn, and two well-dressed men exited. To Chazz's surprise and displeasure, the two men were Slade and Jagger, his older siblings.

"Well, well, look at this. Little Chazz is trying to look badass." Both men were wearing sunglasses, and Slade was chewing on a fat cigar. Chazz grit his teeth and grimaced, but said nothing. A heavy, tense silence filled the air, until a brave cameraman attempted to break it.

"Well, now that both champions are here, why don't we head inside? Each fighter will get twenty minutes to mentally prepare, and then we'll begin the match." Everyone hesitantly moved towards the school building in a huge huddle.

Jaden was laid out on a locker room bench, surrounded by his friends. Syrus, Chumley, Alexis, and Bastion were leaning against the linoleum wall, giving Jaden advice, reassurance, or silent moral support as he half-listened. Bastion spoke up after a few minutes.

"You don't seem to be very worried, Jaden. You realize it's very possible that Chazz has achieved Bankai as well." "Yeah, he looks like a completely different person!" Syrus squeaked. "If nothing else, the millions of TV viewers would cause me to sweat a bit." Alexis commented.

"What's there to be worried about? It'll be a friendly match. I can't wait to see how Chazz has improved!" Jaden said blithely.

Bastion cocked his head to the side. "A friendly match? From what he said earlier, this sounds like a grand display of vengeance and power to him. I would be careful." Jaden nodded. "Yeah, he did seem a little salty about something. I'll be careful, Bastion. Now if you guys will excuse me, I'm going to the restroom to blaze up."

The conversation inside Chazz's locker room was going very differently. Currently, Slade and Jagger were chewing him out while Chazz pouted in the corner. Slade grabbed Chazz by the collar.

"You're a slimy one, little brother. You seem to have been laboring under the delusion that you could escape your duties. You've always been the slacker of this family." Slade then slapped Chazz across the face. Chazz gave no vocal reaction, even as a red handprint swelled on his cheek.

Jagger pushed Chazz into the wall. "We already control business and finance. We've fulfilled our end of the deal. Now, all that's left is for you to fulfill yours. The first step to doing that is winning against this Slifer slacker!" Jagger yelled.

"I get it." Chazz muttered, his face stony. "Good! Then go out there, and prove you are worthy of the Princeton name!" With that, they left the room in a huff.

"Ah, nothing like a pre-fight smoke to alleviate a man of his concerns!" Jaden jaunted over to the men's bathroom, but his happiness was cut short by the sound of sobbing. "Good lord, kids are overdramatic sometimes." Jaden muttered. He peeked around the wall to see that the person was none other than Chazz.

"Come on, Chazz! You have to win here! You must destroy him with everything you have! Otherwise, they'll never accept you! Win! Over and over! Prove that you are strong!" Chazz then collapsed into a whimper again. Jaden held a hand over his mouth, leaving before Chazz could notice anyone there.

Jaden and Chazz were standing just outside of the ring they would be fighting in. Unlike most of Jaden's other Academy-sanctioned matches, his fight with Chazz would be taking place in a spacious outdoor arena, with wooden bleachers set up for the various students, instructors, and reporters to sit.

Jaden sat in his corner of the ring, his friends standing beside him. Chazz stood in his designated area, a few North Academy students tending to him. Jaden's normally warm brown eyes were hardened in focus, and a slight tinge of anger as well.

"What's up Jay? You don't seem quite so cavalier." Syrus observed. "Ah, I'm fine, Sy. It's just… it's a shame only one of us can win this fight, you know?" Jaden said wistfully. "No, I don't know what you mean. Now get out there and kick his ass!" Syrus said, completely crushing Jaden's feelings of sympathy towards his rival.

Dr. Crowler sat in the top box of the bleachers with Sheppard, Foster, and Banner. Banner wasn't really invited to sit up there, but no one denied him his seat once he gave his usual stare. "All right, it's time to begin the 74th annual School Duel! In this corner, weighing in at 155 pounds, it's the red man, the Slifer Slacker himself, Jaden Yuki!"

Despite Crowler's snotty introduction, Jaden received a loud round of applause from the Duel Academy students. Even Zane clapped. Syrus, Bastion, Chumley, and Alexis went to the stands as Jaden entered the ring. _"Perhaps now, I'll be able to observe Jaden's Hollow powers…"_ Bastion schemed.

"In this corner, it's the traitorous turncoat, the defector from decadence, the black thunderbolt…Chazz Princeton!" Chazz's goons immediately departed from the ring as Chazz entered the ring, his Zanpakuto already in Shikai. "Already released? Isn't that a little hardcore for a intermural competition?" Jaden asked.

"Shut. The Fuck. Up. I do not want to hear anything from that loud mouth of yours except begs for mercy. Release your sword right now. I have no desire to mess around with you, loser."

"I get the feeling you're not having very much fun. Was the boat ride rough for you?"

"SHIKAI. NOW." "Alright, you priss." To Chazz's surprise, Jaden's reiatsu immediately skyrocketed, letting Chazz know that he was able to release his shikai without the proper incantation, a trait that can only be taken advantage of by those who have achieved Bankai.

Chazz's eyes widened. "What? That's impossible… there's no way!" he hissed. "Why Chazz, I really don't know what you mean." Jaden mocked.

"Let the match….begin!" Crowler shouted, sending the audience into fits as Chazz immediately lunged at Jaden. His swordplay was surgically precise, but was much more free-flowing than Bastion's stiff style. Jaden was immediately on the defensive.

"Kajugan!" Stalagmites of sharp rock jutted from the ground, aiming to impale Chazz. Chazz sliced the pillars in half, relentlessly pursuing Jaden.

Jaden swirled a rough wind around himself, keeping Chazz at bay. "Isn't this fun? I'm having fun."

"I AM GOING TO EVISCERATE YOU." Chazz launched a Byakurai kido at Jaden, who responded with a quickly charged fireball. The two attacks clashed, the momentum pushing Jaden further into the air while Chazz landed on the ground. Both fighters flash stepped, moving so quick they only appeared as a blur to most of the audience. Zane's eyes darted, never losing sight of them. They clashed swords on the ground once more.

"How can this be? There's no way you could have learned it too!" Chazz growled. "I'm still not sure what you're talking about." Jaden replied mockingly. Chazz broke their connection off, both fighters skidding across the fine wood flooring. "Fine! If I show mine, you show yours!" "Are we still taking about Bankai?" Jaden smirked at the double entendre.

Chazz had no words. His anger could only be expressed in the form of harming another human being. "**Bankai**. **Tomi Koun Buki**. (Final Release: Ultimate Fortune). Like pulling a plug, Chazz's reiatsu flowed back into his body, condensing his energy signature. His sword changed as well. Chazz held a weighty black katana with a red hilt and a small chain dangling from the handle.

"Well, I think the audience expected something more grandiose." Jaden snarked. "Before I explain how utterly foolish you are, you might as well go all out. Release your Bankai now. I want to crush you at your full strength." Chazz hissed.

Jaden made a big show about drawing his sword. "**Bankai**! **Yasashi Yami**! (Final Release: Gentle Darkness)" A flood of black reiatsu erupted from Jaden's sword, smothering the Slifer Red boy. Bastion was rapt in attention. The audience was shocked that Chazz and Jaden, mere freshman, possessed Bankai. It was believable to them, however, due to Chazz's obviously intense training at North Academy. Jaden? To them, the boy was nothing more than a pizza-eating, class-skipping loser. How could he step into the ranks of greatness like this?

When the black smoke dissipated…. Jaden looked almost exactly the same. He wore a black glove on his right hand, but his sword looked no different than usual. Jaden's eyes were permanently golden, devoid of their usual joy.

Alexis shuddered; those eyes triggered horrible memories. Being choked under the yellow moon by that thing that looked like Jaden… it popped up in her nightmares frequently. On her worst nights, she envisioned that thing killing her brother while she helplessly watched. Her reaction was not much different than everyone else's; even the most stoic individuals could not deny a creeping chill working its way up their backs. To his credit, Chazz did not waver at the transformation.

"Well then, what makes your Bankai so special, anyways?" Jaden said. To Alexis' surprise, the voice was still the smooth, boyish Jaden she knew, not the shrill, commanding voice of what she expected. Chazz smirked, then vanished immediately. Jaden barely had time to raise his sword before Chazz was upon him, the black blade's weight forcing him back. Chazz jumped away, rapidly flash stepping further into the air.

"Fascinating. Now, let me show you what I can do. **Eiyu No Hoshi: Gouka Mekkakyu** (Hero of the Stars: Majestic Destroyer Flame).

Ghastly flames flew from Jaden's mouth. They were a sickly yellow with black tinges around the edge of the fire. The teachers were wise to quickly throw up low level defensive kido around the audience, who were at threat of being fried by the mysterious flame.

Chazz easily out sped the fire attack, but it still pursued him. "I didn't want to use my signature attack so early, but it's the only way I'll be able to get around this weird fire." Chazz held his sword above his head, white and green energy swirling around the blade.

"**Getsuga Tensho** (Heaven Slaying Moon Fang)!"

Chazz swung his sword in an arc directly in front of his body. The white-green blast was launched, rolling off of the sword's edge. The attack was a curved slice, the shape of a crescent moon. It cleaved through the ghastly flames, racing directly towards Jaden. Jaden, showing surprisingly good sense, dodged the attack by jumping into the air. Chazz quickly dispersed the swipe, taking back the spiritual energy he placed into it, preventing any collateral damage.

The audience was amazed; for most of the watchers, it was their first time seeing a Bankai at all, much less two locked in combat against one another. Syrus unconsciously trembled. The sheer force of the battle was overwhelming his senses. This was true for many of the other students. They sat, shell-shocked from the energy the two fighters were emitting. For once, Chumley wasn't thinking about food. The teachers, along with Zane, betrayed no sign of weakness, cool masks on each of their faces. Alexis and Bastion, for their part, stayed quite calm.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Bastion said. "What?" said Alexis. "The Hollow reiatsu is leaking freely from Jaden at this point. Only those unfamiliar with its signature could possibly miss it at this point."

"Few even know what Hollows are. Many don't wish to embrace such a supernatural concept. The Hollow, a creature corrupted by their own souls, taken over by their Zanpakuto. I hope you aren't insinuating what I think you are, Bastion." Alexis said sharply.

"I wouldn't rule anything out. Still, Jaden is not the only one with a unique little trick. I never would have thought Chazz had the fortitude to become so powerful."

"He's never wanted to be in his family's shadow. He may be a brat, but Chazz is also highly individualistic. That may be reflected in his power. Most Bankai create a grandiose effect or a flood of reiatsu, like Jaden's, or mine. But this is quite different."

"Right. Chazz is able to compress his reiatsu into his body, allowing him to fight at incredible speeds. It's a bit peculiar. I'd like to have a look at both of them once this over…" Bastion murmured.

"**Taijuu Genzaidan**! (Multiple Ocean Current Bullets)" A hail of water pellets were flung at Chazz, despite no source of water around. Chazz easily dodged them, rapidly flash stepping between them. Jaden strained, sweat rolling down his brow. He still wasn't very good with water techniques. He quickly abandoned his barrage and flash stepped, clashing swords with Chazz.

However, Jaden's sword began to bend once it was locked in extended contact with Chazz's. "This is too much! My sword…it's about to break!" Hurriedly, he broke off from the clash, and Chazz's eyes were wide in vindictive fury.

"This is Fuuinji's true power! While my shikai took the forms of several different weapons, by Bankai becomes the ultimate weapon! It's attack power is unrivaled!" Zane snorted with derisive amusement.

"My reiatsu is packed within my sword, giving it great density. Then, when I shoot that reiatsu from the end of the blade, it becomes my greatest technique, the Getsuga Tensho!"

Jaden broke off from the clash, not wanting his blade to bend in two. As much as it hurt his ego, Jaden knew that in terms of direct combat, Chazz had him beat. His rival's swordsmanship had become ruthlessly refined. "Looks like it's time to go big or go home!" Jaden said.

With great speed, Jaden forced a strong wind current to form in front of him, causing Chazz to immediately fly backwards. Taken off guard by the speed of the attack, Chazz was unable to escape the makeshift tornado as it spiraled upwards. Jaden landed on the arena floor, raising both of his hand into the air. The audience was jostled in their seats as chunks of rock rose from the soil, drifting around Chazz in a ring.

"Well, you can always give up, you know. After all, you are trapped in a wind tunnel with sharp stones hovering around you, poised to impale you from every conceivable direction. Just saying, might not be a bad idea, bro."

Chazz, bound by the air current, could not retort, although the deep loathing for his opponent was expressed well enough in his eyes.

The stones hovered for an instant before they were hurled at the motionless Chazz. For a moment, it seemed as though the attack went through. The rocks entombed his body. Suddenly, however, the stones were completely deflected and cut apart, falling harmlessly to the ground. The tornado dispersed as well, causing a strong wind to blow across the arena. Chazz sliced through every single stone, his sword a heavy black blur as he whipped it around.

Jaden was dumbstruck at the display of strength and speed. "No way… he sliced through all of them!" Suddenly, Chazz flash stepped, appearing right behind Jaden. Jaden turned around, but Chazz had already drove his obsidian sword into his rival's gut. The North Academy fighter was gripping his sword so hard, his hands were bleeding. With malice, he drove it deeper into Jaden, impaling him up the hilt. Jaden coughed, blood mixing with saliva.

"At last, I have drawn blood. How long I've dreamed of this moment, of seeing you fall before me! That day has finally come, Jaden Yuki!" Blood dripped down the side of Jaden's mouth. "Dude, you sound like a major psychopath right now." Chazz screamed, withdrawing Fuuniji before backhanding Jaden, causing the Slifer Red to tumble onto the ground. Jaden clutched the hole in his abdomen, wincing in pain.

Chazz raised his hand into he air, white-blue fire gathering in his palm. "**Hado #33, Sokatsui!" **the small azure fireball flew towards Jaden, who easily raised a mud wall to defend himself. The kido attack wore against the earthen barrier, but Jaden managed to successfully defend himself.

Chazz flash stepped again, aiming for another stab. Jaden ducked under the strike, although a few of his brown hairs were clipped off. Jaden wildily swing his own sword, which was stopped on account of Chazz grabbing his wrist.

Chazz brought Jaden's arm over his own shoulder, intending to snap it in two. Jaden back flipped over Chazz's head, throwing the black-haired boy off balance.

With his new momentum, he yanked Chazz's arm, hurling him to the edge of the arena. Chazz was flung flat on his face, sliding on the floor. The audience got a fair bit of amusement at this turnabout, and chuckled at Chazz's failure.

Bastion smiled at Jaden's move. "This is quite an entertaining battle, I do say." Alexis found she could not replicate Bastion's cavalier attitude. "How is Jaden still able to fight like that? He just got impaled!" Syrus said nothing, but watched intently, rooting for his best friend.

"Come to think of it, most people have a tough time fighting after getting impaled, don't they?" Chumley said, as though he were unsure if this was the case. "Indeed. His endurance has increased quite a bit, but it is hard to identify why…" Bastion said.

Angrier than ever, Chazz struggled to his feet. "Getsuga Tensho!" A large crescent moon shaped blast erupted from Chazz's sword with a flick of the wrist. Jaden raised his sword just in time, clashing against the lunar fang. His feet skid against the arena floor, unable to gain leverage over Chazz's blast.

Eventually, he was thrown off of his feet, flying into the crowd… directly into Chumley's arms. Both of them laughed at the awkward situation. "No offense, Chum, but I was kinda hoping to land two seats over." Jaden said, giving Alexis a saucy look. "Thanks for the save, man!" Jaden quickly picked himself up and flew back into the arena, to the delight and applause of the audience.

"Man, they just eat this shit up." Sheppard grunted. Foster looked over at his colleague. "I thought you would be glad that the audience is entertained. Both of our fighters are giving great showings." He said calmly. "Ugh, I guess."

Jaden and Chazz were exchanging blows, Jaden being careful to avoid clashing with Chazz for a long period of time, lest his own sword be broken. "Bro, why are you taking this so seriously? It's just a friendly competition between schools, right?" Jaden decided to test the waters a bit.

"No, it's not!" Chazz thundered. "This is about my return to glory! I don't expect you to understand, no one has ever expected much from a slacker like you!" Chazz cast Bakudo #4, Hainwa. Jaden had to flash step to avoid the binding spell.

"What do you mean? I've never been afraid to challenge myself! My failures have only served to help me learn!" Jaden replied. "There is no margin for error! This is one battle that I must win!" Chazz kicked Jaden in the face, while Jaden launched Chazz backwards with a wind blast.

Both fighters slowly worked to their feet. Jaden looked at his opponent, noting the bags under his eyes, the hunched, coiled posture. He remembered back to when he saw Chazz in the bathroom earlier. "That must be why he's been freaking out! His brothers must be pressuring him to win! Somehow, I've gotta show him that the only reason to fight here is for fun!" Jaden's gold eyes were narrowed in focus.

"Alright Chazz, let's fight!" "What do you think we've been doing?" The audience snickered in amusement.

Their fight continued for another hour, sword strikes intermixed with Jaden's elemental attacks and Chazz's kido. The audience was hoping that someone would just give up already, as many of them were getting hungry or had to use the bathroom. Alexis was on her phone. "Man, this is almost as boring as a NBA D-league game!" Someone shouted from the stands.

Chazz huffed. His jacket was torn to shreds, he was covered in burns, and he still couldn't wipe that arrogant expression off of Jaden's face. Jaden himself wasn't looking too good either. He skin was scraped and scuffed, and one of his sleeves was cut off.

"Give up already! The audience is growing impatient, and so am I." Chazz snarled. "How could I give up when I'm having so much fun? You're so powerful, and I'm being pushed into my limit. This is what it's all about, wouldn't you agree?" Jaden said cordially. "No. Fighting is pointless if you don't win." Chazz said shortly.

"Well, we'll see where that gets you." Jaden held his sword out at his side, his black metal glove gleaming in the sunlight. "Listen, I don't think either of us have enough strength to continue this fight for much longer. Why don't we end this in dramatic fashion, for the cameras?" He offered.

The familiar red aura of the Streaking Comet technique flared around Jaden, giving his eyes a menacing look. For the first time, Chazz grinned. "Sounds good. Unfortunately, I don't have a super special technique like you. Black tendrils of energy swirled around Chazz's sword. "All I can do is condense all of my spiritual pressure into one strike."

At the same time, they ran towards each other, blades raised, two equal warriors locked in one final, glorious combat. An explosion of black and red power shook the coliseum.

When the dust settled, Chazz and Jaden both stood for one brief moment, before Chazz fell over. "The winner of the 74th School Duel is… Jaden Yuki!" Dr. Crowler announced with a small note of displeasure. The audience cheered at the fantastic end to the battle. Jaden grinned, although he could barely stand.

While he lied on the ground, Chazz saw two harsh, loud footsteps come toward him. For too tired to hate, Chazz's grey eyes dulled in resignation.

Slade and Jagger stood over him. "You loser, you dog! Do you grasp the consequences of your pathetic loss here today!?" Slade yelled. "Do you have any idea of how expensive this was!? The cameras, the arena, all of it was worthless because you didn't win! You have disgraced not only yourself, but the Princeton name as well!" Chazz's broken body was raised by the neck into the air by Jagger. "You are no brother of ours." He announced with awful finality.

Jaden's friends, with the exception of Zane, came down to celebrate him on the victory. However, as he overheard Slade and Jagger, he broke away from them. "Hey assholes! Leave him alone!" He shouted, trying his hardest to sound intimidating, and failing due to his voice cracking.

Jagger tossed Chazz onto the ground unceremoniously, the boy groaning in dull pain. "Is this kid serious? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?!" Slade said in disbelief.

"Yeah, I do! And I don't care!" "And why would you go to the trouble of defending this loser? "How could he win, when you two here breathing down his neck? Even though Chazz didn't win, he fought with amazing strength, and he fought on his terms! You should be proud of him!"

All of Jaden's friends hung back, not really agreeing with what he was saying. Chazz slowly moved to his feet, shuffling past them. Jaden attempted to pat him on the back. "Dude, that was a good match!" "Leave me alone. I don't want pity from you, Slifer." Chazz's words left Jaden hurt and confused. Chazz shuffled from the arena, ignoring the cold stares Jaden's friends gave him.

When the North Academy delegation was ready to leave, it was already evening, another beautiful sunset gracing the island. Chazz's siblings had left, and Chazz hoped that was the last time he would ever see them. The Duel Academy delegation came to see their rivals off, and many cordial "goodbyes" and "good lucks" were being exchanged. Sheppard and Foster talked politely, although Foster was increasingly bitter, but overall, he took the loss well. Chazz and Jaden were standing next to each other, not sure what to say to each other.

"Chazz, I have some news for you." "Yes, sir?" Chazz said dully. "You have been accepted back into Duel Academy by Headmaster Sheppard." Foster said.

"What? Why?" Chazz said in a panic. "I don't want to come back to Duel Academy! I want to train with you guys!"

Foster smiled, then put a hand on Chazz's shoulder. "I discussed this with Headmaster Sheppard beforehand. You are, far and away, the most powerful student at North Academy. I'm afraid there's not much more I can teach you, my boy. Your talents are needed here." Foster said simply.

Chazz sighed. "Alright. Thanks for everything, Professor." He said, his voice once again a small monotone. Professor Banner suddenly appeared behind everyone, causing everyone to jump in fear. "Unfortunately, Chazz, since you dropped out and are now coming back, you will be starting from the bottom. We'll assign you a room in Slifer Red right away." He said in the most amused manner possible.

Chazz did not have the energy to be angry. He sighed, "I suppose that is a dishonor I will bear to become stronger. Be warned, once I become strong enough, you all will pay for this…" Chazz shuffled off towards his new home, the Slifer Red dorm. Syrus sighed. "I can't believe we have to share the same building as this asshole." "Oh, he'll come around eventually." Jaden said, not really believing his own words.

Before Jaden's claim could be proven, however, it was time for the end of the semester. Everyone had final exams the last week of school, although the way some students handled it was better than others. Bastion studied well, as did Alexis and Zane. Bastion surreptitiously took pictures of his tests with his phone when the teachers weren't looking, and spread them around the school for a price.

Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley were able to pass using luck, deception, and foreknowledge of the questions from Bastion. Chazz was exempt from the tests, due to his two month absence. Chazz himself rarely left his new room, only leaving to go to the bathroom or to get food from the cafeteria. Jaden was wise enough to stay away from him, and his friends were all too happy to do the same.

Jaden often sensed Chazz's reiatsu as early as five 0 'clock in the morning, and extrapolated that he must be training. He definitely wanted to fight him again, although when they passed each other in the hallway no words were ever exchanged. During meal times, when Jaden spoke to Alexis, he sometimes saw Chazz glaring over at them, but he always averted his gaze fairly quickly.

It was the last day at school before the winter holiday began. Jaden would be heading home to see his parents again. He was excited to see his family again, as he hadn't heard from them in about a month. While he and his parents liked each other, they found that they didn't need to keep in touch as often as someone like Syrus and his parents did. Frankly, Jaden's parents were often simply too busy to stay in constant contact with Jaden. Syrus, on the other hand could often be found texting his parents.

Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, Bastion, and Alexis were enjoying a game of beach volleyball on the final day of term. They even persuaded stoic Zane to join in to make the teams even. Spirits were high amongst the group, despite their displeasure at Chazz's return. As they casually set the ball around, they discussed each other's plans for the two-week break.

"I'm going back to the U.K. It's going to be quite a change as far as weather goes, I say!" Bastion chuckled.

"Syrus and I will be visiting our grandmother. We will be having a fantastic time." Zane said grumpily. "Isn't that right, Syrus?" "Yes, bro." Syrus squeaked.

"How about you, Lex? Where do you live?" Jaden asked. The corners of her mouth twitched. "California." She muttered. Jaden cracked up, laughing so hard he clutched his side. "You should visit me sometime! It'll be fun! You and me, curled up by the fire, sipping hot chocolate…" He said.

Alexis normally pale face colored slightly. "Yeah, keep dreaming. However, I may come by during the summer time. You never know, I may just happen to be in the area." She said in what she hoped was a cool voice. "In that case, I'll just so happen to expect you!"

The island grew small in the window as the plane took off, sending several students back to their homes. Jaden recalled his journey to the island on this very plane, the day after he beat Crowler and earned his way into the academy. So many things have changed even since then. He has achieved Bankai, the highest level of his sword, and a great crew at that.

_"My life is just beginning." _He thought as night fell.

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the twelfth chapter of Kids With Swords! **

**Definitely a big fight this chapter, and one that I greatly enjoyed writing. We got to see the Bankai of Jaden and Chazz, and I hope that they were enjoyable for you! For Jaden's, I chose to simply increase his overall reiatsu bank as well as infuse his elemental attacks with a dark tinge. I also liked the idea of Jaden having permanent gold eyes while in Bankai as he draws on more of the Supreme King's power. What did you think of it?**

**As for Chazz, I essentially gave him Ichigo's Bankai, as I always liked the idea of Chazz with a black sword. As for his characterization, he will not be bosom buddies with Jaden and company right away. This interpretation of Chazz is darker, angrier, and sadder. For him to immediately joke around with Jaden and his friends would be an insult to his standing in the story.**

**Next Saturday will begin the Seven Star Arc! See you then!**


	13. UNLEASH THE DEMONS

_Great danger can bring hearts together._

The holidays passed quickly. Jaden had a good break, but was eager to get to back to the academy. He enjoyed seeing his parents again, but his extended family's continuous pestering about his life at the school grew tiresome after a while. Of course, it was understandable they would ask such questions, but having to answer the same ones over and over again proved to be wearing after a while. To return to his base of operations, his haven, Duel Academy, where all of his friends lay in wait; he could not be happier.

When Jaden arrived on the island, he immediately went towards the Slifer Red Dorm. Red paper lanterns hung from the roof, giving the building a merry crimson glow. Jaden kicked open the rickety screen door that lead to his dorm room.

As he suspected, Chumley and Syrus were already there. Chumley was taking a nap while Syrus unpacked both of their suitcases. Giddy with the joy of seeing his roommates again, he grabbed Syrus in a one-armed hug, surprising the meek boy.

"Eep!" "Syrus Truesdale, you old son of a bitch! How've you been, buddy?"

"Jaden, it's been two weeks." Chumley grunted. "Chum, you seem to have a little more energy than usual! Why not go fishing with me?" Jaden grabbed his pole and ushered towards the door.

"Fishing is way too much work for me, but thanks."

"Suit yourself, man." Jaden strolled out a short distance from the dorm building to the limestone Cliffside. Choosing a spot close to the water, he took a seat on the soft green grass, casting out his pole. Unfortunately, few fish were biting. The trip proved not to be a total waste when he saw Alexis approach him form the corner of his eye.

"I'm surprised you don't have your cronies accompanying you." She said blandly. She was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt.

"I had a great vacation, thanks for asking! How was yours?" He said incredulously. They stared at each other before saying "Your wit as is sharp as ever" at the same time. "Jinx!" Jaden said.

Alexis giggled, glad to see her friend again, despite how most of their interactions resulted in him annoying her with a stupid joke. She sat down next to him; Jaden threw a one-armed hug around her in the same manner he did with Syrus. Slight color came in her cheeks, but her expression didn't change.

"It's good to see you again, Lex." Jaden said in a rare moment of sincerity.

She smiled, but didn't say anything, drawing her knees into her arms. "I investigated my brother's disappearance again." She blurted suddenly. "But… I couldn't find any more clues. It's really like he just disappeared off of the face of the earth." She said sadly. Jaden was confused; why would she spoil the moment with such dour news?

"Listen, people die every day. The best way to keep your brother's memory alive is to keep living, not searching after any desperate clue that may pop up. I bet it's what he would want. There's no use in living in the past." Jaden said somewhat unkindly.

Alexis looked at him, her eyes appraising him. "I thought you would try to comfort me. Most people offer their sympathies. I'm surprised you didn't." After a short pause, she added, "Actually, I'm not, now that I think about it."

They sat in silence for a short while, before she decided to change the subject. "I don't suppose you've seen Chazz yet, have you?" She said.

"No, I haven't. I hope he had a good vacation, he needed it."

"I saw him walking by himself on the way over here. He saw me, and gave me a weird look." She said stiffly.

"Maybe he's in luvvvvv with you!" Jaden suggested facetiously. She shoved him playfully, causing the poor boy to tumble into the water. "You are such a brat!" She said in between giggles.

He clambered onto the cliff's edge, shaking his wet hair like a dog. "You realize that I'm right, of course."

"I doubt it. Chazz hates everyone and everything on this island. I can scarcely picture the idea of him having compassion for another person here."

Jaden's smile slipped into a sad frown. "Hey now, that's not very nice. Chazz just needs to have some support. The guy went for months surviving on his own, just to salvage his own pride. I can respect that."

"Men with pride like that rarely attain anything close to their delusions of grandeur." Alexis said darkly.

Classes resumed the following Monday, Jaden and his friends walking into Crowler's English feeling especially despondent, as it was their first class of the new term, and it was still early in the morning. Jaden sat next to Syrus, their Hangman game already set up, while Bastion took their money before agreeing to take notes for the five of them. Professor Crowler finished looking through a stack of papers before standing to greet the class.

"Good day, students. I hope you all enjoyed your winter break, going on vacations, spending your parents money, and doing all sorts of illicit activity. However, it is time for the balloon of your idyllic existence to pop against the sharp rocks of reality. We will be analyzing poetry today, starting with famous liberal feminists of the 21st century. Now then-"

Crowler's bitter greeting to the kids was interrupted by the classroom's intercom. "May I have your attention please?" Across the school, many students replied with "Will the real Slim Shady please stand up?"

"Will Professor Crowler, Professor Banner, Zane Truesdale, Alexis Rhodes, Bastion Misawa, Chazz Princeton, and Jaden Yuki come to the Headmaster's office, please?"

Many students were surprised to hear the names of their infamous peers gathered together. Was there some great battle? What could have happened that the five strongest kids in the school, as well as two professors, were called down? Jaden, Alexis, and Bastion looked between each other, hoping that one of them would have an explanation for the summons. Crowler, looking annoyed, ushered them out of the room.

After an awkward trek through the mostly empty halls, the quartet arrived at Headmaster Sheppard's office. They opened the door to find that Banner, Chazz, and Zane had beaten them there. Zane stood tall, his arms crossed, his expression inscrutable. Chazz sat in a plastic chair, shifting and fidgeting constantly. Professor Banner, curiously, was standing on the ceiling instead of the floor, using some form of flash step to suspend himself there. His topknot dangled downwards, slapping Jaden in the face as he walked in.

Sheppard himself sat behind the big desk, his face shadowed by the sunlight filtering through he window. "Wonderful. Everyone is here." He said, his words sinuously drifting in the tense atmosphere of the room.

"Two delinquents-" Chazz snarled, while Jaden assumed Sheppard was talking about someone else. "A genius-" Bastion smirked- "Two of my finest students, and two of my good professors- despite your respective quirks." He inclined his head towards Banner, whose grin never left his angular face.

"Come to think of it, this is a potentially volatile situation." Zane pointed out.

"Well, despite your differences, there is one thing you seven have in common. You all are quite powerful, even in comparison to the legends of the past generation. Frankly, I haven't seen this much raw power since the days of Yugi, Kaiba, and Wheeler." Jaden grinned when Sheppard said this.

"Six of you have attained Bankai, the highest level of power a Zanpakuto fighter can wield. The sole exception is Mr. Misawa, and he has proven himself to be an exceptional combatant in his own right." Bastion bowed, his expression unreadable. "Thank you, sir."

"So what? What the hell do you want?!" Chazz blurted out, shocking everyone else.

"They say that those who achieve Bankai always have a special role in the history of this academy. You all will be no different. I fear that it is time to put your training to the test." Everyone was as taut as a drawn bowstring.

"I'm beginning to agree with Chazz. We have better things to do then listen to speeches. What do you want?" Jaden said audaciously.

"I am not surprised at your lack of respect, Yuki. Although I hope you will do what I ask for the right reasons, it is not your personal character that matters right now. There is a threat to the safety of this entire school, and it goes back to the source of the Hollows." This elicited gasps of shock for everyone except Jaden and Bastion.

"Can someone please explain to me what Hollows are?" Jaden asked with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

"They are demons, to put it succinctly. They are what is born from a spirit led astray, lost souls on the path of life. They wield Zanpakuto, although they are not masters of their swords like we are. No, it is the opposite. Hollows are the result of a human losing control of their own identity to their Zanpakuto. They let the power control them, becoming little more than beasts in the process.

They feast on powerful souls, which can only be found by those who wield Zanpakuto. Due to their transformation, they can no longer use their Zanpakuto like we can, meaning hey cannot use Shikai and Bankai. Instead, they lock part of their power away in the sword itself, which becomes little more than a vessel for their true forms. Doing this allows them to take human shape as well." Bastion exposited. During his explanation, his calculating gray eyes frequently darted over to Jaden.

Sheppard nodded. "I couldn't have phrased it better, Mr. Misawa. I have no doubt that promoting you to Obelisk was the right decision." "Thank you, sir."

"So Hollows are looking to attack the school?" Alexis asked. Sheppard grimaced and shook his head.

"You don't believe they wouldn't have tried this before? This school has many powerful spells and enchantments to protect the students from these demons. You see, the problem arises when the Hollows become too powerful to hold back. A group, calling themselves the Seven Star Generals, have grown beyond the limits of ordinary hollows. They are after something here."

"I don't suppose you would tell us what that is you're hiding?" Crowler interjected. He shook his head yet again.

"No. Such sensitive information could be tortured out of you if you were ever capture by one of these Generals."

"Hold on for one second! You assume we've already agreed to help you! We have no idea what we're protecting! Who knows, maybe these Generals have a very good reason to take whatever this thing is!" Chazz protested.

"Well, Mr. Princeton, if you don't like it, you can certainly leave." Sheppard said blithely. "Good! I'm going back to class."

"No, I meant the island. You can leave the island. After all, I certainly have the ability to make you leave, if I so choose." Crowler and Banner were slient, seeming as though they were used to this sort of behavior from their headmaster. Halfway to the door, Chazz paused. He turned around, seething with hatred. "Are you trying to blackmail me!?" He practically shouted.

"I would think that you would relish this opportunity, Mr. Princeton. You will certainly be fighting strong opponents. Your schoolwork will be put on hold until the war is over, as well." Chazz composed himself, but his eyes still burned with anger.

"You know, he has a point. This sounds like you're trying to control us a bit." Jaden said. "To protect the school, I will do whatever is necessary." Sheppard replied. Jaden deliberated for a moment before grinning. "Hey, you never know, this could be fun!"

"I'm delighted that you have deigned to share your infinite wisdom, Yuki. Now then, in order to gain full access to what they're after, the Seven Star Generals will need, fittingly, seven keys." Sheppard opened a drawer in his desk, revealing a small wooden box with seven keyholes on the side. From another drawer, he grabbed seven pendants, each key attached to a string, so that it could serve as a necklace.

"I must ask for each of you to wear these at all times. We cannot afford for them to be lost, so never take them off, even when sleeping. Is that understood?" Sheppard said as he handed the keys to each of their respective keepers. Jaden tied it around his wrist like a bracelet, while everyone else hung it from their necks.

They stood around awkwardly for a moment, until the normally taciturn Zane spoke up. "Sir, when can we expect these Hollows to attack? If all seven of them blitz the school, we may have a very destructive battle on our hands." He said rationally.

"Your concern is valid, Mr. Truesdale, but I doubt that they will all attack at once. Hollows thirst for battle, and are extremely selfish in their craving for it. A display of teamwork from them would almost be as surprising as a display of teamwork from you guys." Sheppard belittled.

"Yes, they will most likely come one at a time. Therefore, it may be possible to keep this from becoming public. Such a breach of security would discredit the school. Before a battle, make sure to cast Fukashi over the area to prevent yourselves from detection. You are to tell no one else about this."

Jaden's eyes hardened. "Syrus and Chumley are in. They've gotten strong, and they may be able to help. Besides, I never lock my crew out of the loop." He said boldly.

Sheppard looked at him with what could be confused for admiration. "Very well, this is allowed. However, no one else will be told. You all are dismissed."

Zane and Banner shimmered briefly, before flash stepping from the room. "It appears that second period has already started, I should hurry back…" Crowler bustled from the room, paying the others little attention.

"If you think that I'm going to be your lapdog, you're dead wrong!" Chazz thundered. "It's like I said, Mr. Princeton. If you will not commit yourself to protecting this school, then you can leave. Besides, you should appreciate the opportunity to improve your skills after that humilating defeat at the School Duel." Sheppard prodded, causing Chazz to gaze at Jaden with an expression of deepest loathing.

"You will regret giving me the opportunity to get stronger." Chazz's threat was bald-faced. "The only thing I am regretting right now is entertaining your psychotic, childish rants. Go back to class, Mr. Princeton." With that, Chazz turned about-face and slammed the door behind him.

Briefly shocked by Chazz's actions, Jaden left with Alexis and Bastion shortly after. "Well, this is a little more than I bargained for." Alexis said dryly.

"Chazz may be off his rocker, but he had a point. The old man is blackmailing us, plain and simple. Of course, it appears to be for the greater good…" Bastion said, unsure of his words.

"I'm fine with it. We're getting another adventure handed to us on a silver platter!" Jaden said jubilantly. "That's the spirit, Jaden! And Bastion, I thought you would relish the opportunity to see some Hollows up close." Alexis said, spurred on by Jaden's relentless cheer.

Bastion stroked his chin. "Indeed. I'm in the process of renovating my room in Obelisk Blue into a small laboratory. It's going much better than my old Ra Yellow room. Speaking of Obelisk Blue, it surprises me that our own head of house was nominated to be a key keeper."

Jaden laughed. "No kidding! I guess that gay clown is stronger than he looks, considering I kicked his ass while just using Shikai." Jaden bragged.

"He most certainly is. Despite Crowler's…. eccentric tendencies, he is a teacher, and he almost certainly has Bankai. I just hope this means he'll start treating you better." Alexis said. "A leopard doesn't change its spots." Bastion said sagely.

Elsewhere, a conversation eerily similar to the one in Sheppard's office was taking place. In a dark, dank cave, seven individuals lurked in shadow, letting their reiatsu leak out, tainting the cave with dark energy. Six of them were standing around another being, which was sitting in a chair.

"At last, the hour has arrived, my friends. Our enemies are ripe for the picking. All of the pieces are falling into place. The hour is nigh. And yet, a question remains; which of you shall take the first blood?" A cold, clear voice rang across the cave.

"Could you be a little more original? Your speeches become more cliché every time we hear them." A smug, youthful voice replied.

"Ah, Nightshroud. I take it you will be volunteering for us. That is the impression your snide commentary gives me, at least." The voice said, as menacing as ever. "Your impression is quite correct. I have hungered the longest, so it is only fitting that I steal Duel Academy's prize!" With a deep booming noise, the other individuals disappeared from the cave, melting into shadow.

The night was cold, a thunderstorm forcing everyone back to their respective dorms, as well as keeping any ships from leaving the harbor. Jaden sat on his bunk, explaining the situation to Syrus and Chumley, who were appropriately distressed at the turn of events.

They gazed, open-mouthed in shock. "Listen, if you guys don't wanna fight, I get it. But I might need your help if I want to get out of this in one piece. There aren't many among the key keepers I would trust with my life. The only real friends I have there are Bastion and Alexis."

"You would trust us with your life?" Syrus said weakly.

"I would. You both have partied with me, you've chilled with me, and you've fought alongside me. I'm proud to call you my bros."

"Stop it, you're gonna make us blush!" Chumley joked. However, their group bro-fist was interrupted by the sound of the door knocking. Immediately, all three of their swords were out. Jaden warily approached the door. "Who's there?" He stammered.

"Open the door. It's me, Alexis."

"Speak of the devil!" Jaden swing the door open, gladly welcoming her inside. "What brings you to my humble abode at this late hour, my lady?" He said greasily.

Syrus and Chumley quickly looked to exit the room, but Alexis blocked the doorway. Alexis shook off her grey windbreaker and boots. "You two can stay. I don't really want to be alone with Jaden in his room, the poor boy can barely control his hormones as is." She said bitingly.

"How've you been, Alexis?" Chumley ventured. "Fine, except that Jaden and I have been conscripted to fight against some hollows by a manipulative old man. But I'm sure you already know about that." Both of the Slifer Red boys nodded.

"Well, as any rational being would do, they probably plan to attack the weakest link to get their first key." Before Jaden could protest, she shushed him by putting her icy cold finger to his mouth.

"-or at least, what they believe to be the weakest link. I don't know if you've noticed, but you're wearing a red jacket. These hollows think that they could go after you when their favorite TV show goes on commercial break, kick your ass, then return before the program comes back on."

"Well, they'd be in for an unpleasant surprise, then!" Jaden roared. "You never know. These guys could force us to use our Bankais. Just in case, we've decided to sleep in groups, for greater security. Bastion, Zane, and Crowler will be in the Obelisk boys dorm. Us, as well as Banner, will be here. The brat, Chazz, refused to cooperate, but at least we know he'll be in the same building as us."

"You do make a valid argument. Well, I would hate to displace my good pals Syrus and Chumley out of their beds, so I suppose we will have to sleep in the same bed, Lex." Jaden tried his best to grimace, as though this were an unavoidable inconvenience.

She smiled coldly. "You are adorable. And it seems I've forgotten to bring my sleeping bag. I guess your idea will have to work…" Jaden was practically salivating. "….in your dreams, that is." She said, before shoving her rolled-up sleeping bag in his face.

The night passed uneventfully from there, the four of them watching a movie before going to bed. Unfortunately, due to the movie in question being Transformers: Age of Extinction, they did not go to bed until nearly one in the morning.

As everyone slept (with the exception of Banner, who does not sleep ever), a sound of static went unnoticed due to the pounding rain. A demon in human form stood on the roof of the Slifer Red Dorm. He wore a black trenchcoat with dirty grey jeans. His face was covered by a completely black mask with blue eyepieces and a red jewel on the forehead.

"It is time for the first of the humans to fall. At last, let the book of demons open once more!"

Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, and Alexis' sleep was interrupted by a pale light washing over the room. "Which one of you fucks turned on the light?" Chumley roared in an unstoppable rage. "No one, Chum, please calm down!" Jaden desperately attempted to placate. "What's going on?" Syrus rubbed his eyes cutely.

"What a bounty! Two key keepers with Bankai, and two more Zanpakuto wielders! How fitting, for the beginning of a feast to be this grand!" Nightshroud's infuriatingly smug tones rang in the ears of the four warriors, before they found themselves whipped off of their feet, flying towards an unknown location.

Jaden could not register anything in his confusion; one minute, he was lying in his room, then the next minute he was falling into the island's dormant volcano. They were unceremoniously dropped fifty feet above the gaping maw of the volcano, falling with increasing speed.

"Mai, Sode No Shirayuki!" Alexis grabbed onto each of the three Slifer boys. Jaden could not grasp why she did this. Coldness spread from her fingers into the three boys' bodies. Jaden felt it chill to his very bones. However, the cold was overpowered by a primal sense of worry, for Alexis' reiatsu was shutting down.

The light left her eyes, her body as lifeless as a storefront mannequin. Jaden screamed, a rather girlish noise as they fell into the volcano. Chumley also screamed, but Syrus was merely cowed into silence from the shock. Before they hit the lava, a great blue light engulfed their vision. They crumpled against a large blue barrier, solid to stand on. They splayed against it, grumbling in pain, then they stood and got their bearings.

"Alexis, are you OK?" Jaden yelped, his voice cracking.

She stood up, reaffirming her hold on the three of them. "Listen, whatever you guys do, don't let go of me!" She said, ignoring Jaden. "Why?" Syrus asked.

Before she could answer, Nightshroud lowered onto the azure platform, his reiatsu clouding the area in black smoke. "It's because of your sword, isn't it? Your shikai, to be exact. It allows you to freeze the area around you, isn't that right, blondie?" He mocked.

"I don't know where you got your information from, but they got one thing wrong. My Zanpakuto, Sode no Shirayuki, is known for its "dances", the three techniques I created through training and experimentation. However, its primary ability is to lower my own body heat, causing the temperature of anything I touch to be lowered accordingly. I have to keep a hold onto these three, or else they would be killed by being this close to the lava in this volcano."

Sure enough, below the translucent platform, they could see a pool of molten slag hissing and licking at the bottom of the volcano.

"Why did you just tell me that?" Nightshroud asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You won't live long enough to use the information against me. It's four against one, big boy."

As if on cue, Syrus, Chumley, and Jaden activated Shikai. The ball and chain weighed on Chumley's arm, the laser sword buzzed steadily, and fire coiled around Jaden's body.

"Such arrogance, as I would expect from a human. How greatly you underestimate my abilities when I am the one who entered this island undetected, when I am the one who could have slit your throats in your sleep! But no, you will feel the thrill of battle one more time before your power and your keys become ours!" Nightshroud ranted.

"I have a question. Why do you even want the keys in the first place? What are you after?" Jaden said, hoping to learn what Headmaster Sheppard was hiding in his puzzle box.

Nightshroud snarled. "Enough! I did not come here to talk. Words are meaningless on the field of battle! Now, prepare yourselves, for you four will become stepping stones to greatness for me, Nightshroud of the Seven Generals!" It was clear that his lust for battle was overcoming all other urges.

"Nightshroud? What kind of cliché name for a villain is that?" Chumley said, unimpressed. "You might watch too much anime, Chum." Jaden muttered.

"Base ignorance! You don't take me seriously, when you guys are the ones in your bedclothes!?" With a laugh, Jaden released he was still wearing the overlarge t-shirt and heart-printed boxers he slept in. "Man, thank god we don't sleep naked." Chumley said, wearing no shirt and a pair of black sweatpants.

Syrus was wearing his favorite pink footie pajamas, while Alexis was wearing a frilly white nightgown. "Well, this is hardly appropriate to fight in. I suppose the readers have a nice image in their mind's eye, though." She said.

"Are you guys almost done with your inane, vain babbling, so that I can kill you?" Nightshroud asked, clearly at the end of his rope.

"Sure, but can we maybe move this fight outside? It'll be tough to give you a good fight when we have to stay in constant contact with each other." Alexis reasoned.

"Very well." The platform stretched and morphed, until they were in a full sea-green sphere. "No one will be coming to save you. Your reiatsu is masked while in this room."

Just as Jaden was about to say "Good", he was speed blitzed by Nightshroud. He was kicked fifteen feet away by cause of a dirty brown boot to the face.

Syrus immediately flash stepped behind Nightshroud, aiming for a clean decapitation. Nightshroud easily dodged the swing, grabbing Syrus' wrist, and flung the poor boy another fifteen feet, causing his light sword to clatter on the ground.

Chumley came from above, hurling Getsuguburi down at his head. The black-cloaked General finally drew his sword, blocking the iron ball and deflecting it away, causing Chumley to have to readjust his trajectory.

Nightshroud had no time to rest, because when he turned around, the next thing he saw was a wall of white ice racing towards him. "Tsugi no Mai: Hakuren!" Alexis yelled. The ice washed over the General, freezing him in his tracks.

Syrus stood again, holding his hand out. "Nice one, Lex! **Bakudo #9, Horin**! (Disintegrating Circle)". An orange-hued tendril of energy snaked from Syrus' hand, ensnaring the ice that surrounded Nightshroud.

"Do you think that'll hold him?" Jaden grunted. "Not for long, but we should have enough time to escape this barrier and go get backup." Snapped Alexis.

"Yeah, did you see how strong that guy was? I agree!" Chumley noted his assent. Without warning, the ice was shattered into a million pieces, Syrus' binding spell breaking apart and sparking into nonexistence.

Nightshroud was relatively unharmed, having only a few scratches from the combined attack. His expression was unreadable under the mask, but it was clear that he was seething from the tone of his voice.

"So, you thought that a half-assed effort like that was enough to stop one of the Seven Generals? What a bunch of idiots! Release your Bankai, both of you!" he yelled.

Jaden hesitated. His Bankai should be strong enough to take this guy on, but using more of the Supreme King's power was unsavory to him for many reasons. Alexis seemed wary of using Bankai as well, but Jaden didn't know why. Their deliberation only served to enrage Nightshroud more. "Dammit! Everything you guys do pisses me off!" He roared. He seethed for a second, until he settled into a deadly calm.

"It's time for you to witness my true power! This is my resurreccion!" They gasped.

"Great, another term to remember. I remember back in the day, back when we didn't have these ridiculous power-ups. It was just straight fists, no bullshit." Jaden grumbled.

"Jaden, you weigh 120 pounds. If you fought with fists, you would get your ass murked." Syrus commented. "True." "So, this must be how the hollows are able to hide their true forms, as well as a significant portion of their power." Alexis said icily.

"What do you know, the ice bitch did her homework. That's exactly right. A hollow's resurreccion assimilates the body of the hollow, the mind of the human, and the power of the Zanpakuto. Now, tremble! **Moero, Akame Kuroryu** (Burn, Red-Eyed Black Dragon)!"

Inside the barrier, the heat intensified, but luckily, was still manageable. Nightshroud was engulfed in shining black obsidian, the stone encasing him completely. The volcano seemed to shake, causing chunks of molten rock to fall into the pyroclastic pool below.

"Looks like we're dealing with a major hothead here. No pun intended-"

"I could care less if your pun was intended or not, Jaden. We need some way to get out of here. If we have access to a body of water, both of our powers will be amplified significantly." Alexis cut Jaden's quip off.

"Wow, you are kind of an ice bitch, sometimes." Jaden said, slightly hurt. "Sorry, but there's something about this guy that's throwing me off. This spiritual pressure has an odd familiarity about it. It's like a song I can't remember the name of."

Her worries would have to wait, for the transformation had finished. The block of igneous rock chipped away revealing the statue beneath. Nightshroud was covered in shining black armor, segmented to look like dragon's scales. He even had claws on the end of his gloves. He no longer had a sword. The mask suddenly seemed much more intimidating, the jewel on the forehead glowing ominously.

The key keepers were overwhelmed by the power of the General. "I guess this isn't a time to play around after all. **Bankai**." Jaden said, expressive brown eyes faded to metallic gold. "**Yasashi Yami**." A black, metal glove encased itself on Jaden's right hand.

"I'm not gonna lie, I wish you didn't have black metal armor too. It makes it look like I'm ripping you off." Jaden said, his voice gaining a slight edge to it. They stood across from each other, sizing the other up.

Suddenly, Jaden and Alexis' keys began to glow softly. "I wonder if it triggered because one of you activated Bankai." Syrus theorized. "It's possible. If this is happening to my key too, then it may be happening to the others as well. We may have help on the way." She said with a dash of hope.

"You'll be dead before they get here!" Nightshroud launched himself forward again, far too quick for any of the others to read. Jaden raised his sword in defense, but before he could react, he felt a cold, armored plate on the side of his head , before he was thrown into the wall. Nightshroud extended the barrier to the entire perimeter of the volcano, causing Jaden to collide headfirst with a rock wall.

Jaden spastically threw out the surrounding chunks of rock at Nightshroud. The Star General weaved around them easily. Jaden launched himself at Nightshroud, his sword clanging against the black dragon armor. He tried desperately to stay on the offensive, so that Nightshroud could not mount what would surely be a devastating counter. However, nothing he tried could penetrate the armor.

Nightshroud backhanded Jaden, causing the Slifer to go flying away. A nasty welt welled up on Jaden's cheek. He bounced off of the floor and flew at Nightshroud again.

To Jaden's surprise and pleasure, however, Chumley had gotten the jump on Nightshroud. He used his Gegetsuburi's chain to coil around the General's body, keeping him from moving.

Before Nightshroud could react, his head was frozen by Alexis' shikai. Chumley unwrapped the chain, as the General could no longer move, at least for a few seconds.

Jaden allowed the now-cozy heat of the Streaking Comet technique to envelop him. Jaden found he was much more comfortable with the attack in Bankai. At his absolute maximum, he could hold it for five minutes, but it was better to use it in shorter bursts to maximize power. He planted his fist in the momentarily frozen General's gut, causing the armor to bend and crack.

Nightshroud flew into the volcano wall, too deep to be seen. Syrus and Alexis pointed their index fingers towards the newly formed crater in the wall. "Hado #4, Byakurai!" They said in unison, causing a burst of white light to tunnel deeper into the crater, connecting against the general.

There was silence; it seemed the battle had been won. Jaden clutched his fist, his knuckles broken from hitting Nightshroud's armor. "Damn, that hurts… are you guys OK?" he asked.

"Just some reiatsu exhaustion. Nothing a good night's sleep won't cure. But first, we should check if he's dead." Syrus replied in a gritty tone. "Oh yeah, good idea." However, they were spared from having to check, due to a roar of rage coming from the crater. Nightshroud flew back into the barrier, his armor dented and fractured.

"You guys…. are gonna pay for this!"

As Alexis postulated, the other keys glimmered with the activation of Jaden's Bankai. Bastion, Zane, and Crowler saw it flash and immediately got the impression that someone was fighting, and began to search the island. Banner was unaccounted for. Chazz saw his pendant flash, looked at it for a moment, then stuffed it into a drawer and went back to sleep.

The key keepers scanned the island for any signs of a struggle once they found that they could not sense any reiatsu in the area. The operation took about twenty minutes, due to Zane's exceptional ability at flash step.

"Well, we've looked almost everywhere. You don't suppose they left the island, do you?" Bastion inquired.

"Perhaps that's what triggered our keys. It's impossible to confirm, however. None of us can fly, and it would not do to spread ourselves too thin. It's probably what they want. We'll wait for a sign." Zane said calmly

. "It's our only option at this point. I hope that my Obelisk queen Alexis is doing OK!" Crowler said in worry.

"What about Jaden?" Bastion asked immediately. "What about him?"

Jaden coughed up blood; he was slammed in the gut by Nightshroud's armored knee. Jaden wildly swung his sword, but it grinded uselessly against the blasted armor. Nightshroud prepared a vicious backhand, but his strike was stopped at the last second, for Alexis had frozen his hand with Hakuren. It took one second for the hand to break out with a clench. Alexis flash stepped to Nightshroud's side, avoiding his strike with a duck.

"Some no Mai-" Her incantation for the first dance was interrupted by a kick to the side. "No more! I know this technique!" As she clutched her bleeding oblique, a dull thought came through the haze of pain.

"How does he know my technique? Do they have some way of gathering information on the island?" However, her mind was overwhelmed by pain and fear, and she could not process any sort of hypothesis to the question.

Nightshroud raised his foot, intending to stomp the Obelisk Blue's head. "Say goodbye!" Suddenly, a red and blue body connected with the side of Nightshroud's head. Syrus knocked the Star General off balance slightly, allowing Alexis time to scramble away. Syrus lunged with Hikari Fukushu, the light blade chipping off some of Nightshroud's black dragon armor, exposing his left shoulder.

Nightshroud jumped away. "You might be more of a threat than I thought, you little pipsqueak. If that sword touches me, I'll be burnt toast."

Syrus huffed, not having the luxury to waste his energy on words. He saw Jaden slowly rise to his feet, gathering energy for a wind blast behind Nightshroud. Quickly thrusting his index finger, Syrus wordlessly cast Hado #1, Sho. It was the only kido spell Syrus could cast wordlessly, but it was imperative that he catch Nightshroud off guard.

Nightshroud was pushed back slightly, his feet skidding on the barrier floor. Caught off balance, he was hit by Jaden's air blast, causing his momentum to accelerate. The General was off of his feet completely by this point, flying through the air with no control over his body. Chumley came from above, aiming his mace directly at Nightshroud's head.

It appeared is if the plan would work, but right before the mace could touch Nightshroud's head, he used what seemed to be flash step to appear behind the portly Slifer Red, kicking him directly into the ground, breaking his Koala-like nose.

"Chum!" Jaden shouted in fierce worry. "You bastard!" Jaden blew a grand fireball at Nightshroud, who dodged it with another high speed movement.

"What is that? It's not flash step, I can't sense it!" Alexis shouted. Nightshroud swiped at her, but she blocked his claw with her white sword.

"We hollows would never use a filthy human technique like flash step! This is **Sonido** (Sound Ceremony)!" He used Sonido again, appearing behind Alexis, a heavy boom accompanying the use of the technique.

_"I see. The sound is different than the normal swish of flash step."_ Alexis thought as she ducked under another claw swipe. "Hado #33, Sokatsui!" A flash of bright blue fire slammed into Nightshroud's torso, sending him flying, although he quickly righted himself in midair.

Alexis dropped to her knees, panting with desperate exertion. She clutched her bleeding side. Sweat rolled down her normally cold porcelain skin. "Damn... these generals are too strong…I never thought it would happen like this! I never wanted to die like my brother, taken out in the middle of the night, a momentary life, snuffed out on this cursed island! I can't die here…" Her thoughts became more and more disjointed as panic flooded her mind.

Nightshroud looked upon the broken bodies of his enemies. "Dying like animals. How fitting for you, to end by my hand. Me, who will rise above man, beast, and Zanpakuto alike! This crimson flame will reduce you to ashes, the first of many humans to come!" One index finger pointed upon them. The vermillion energy formed at the fingertip, a small red sphere.

"**Inferno Fire Blast**."

The sphere enlarged suddenly, and the fireball was launched at the four beaten fighters. Jaden looked up, helpless to do anything. "No, not like this!" But the fireball's progress was stopped by an unlikely individual.

Chumley's hands stopped the energy blast in its tracks. "Guys! Don't gib ub yet!" His broken nose affecting his voice. "No, he can't hold it!" Syrus screamed. Soon, the blast engulfed Chumley completely, his silhouette barely visible in the fire.

Jaden felt himself falling away, his mind sinking like a rock in an abyss.

"**This weakness is unforgivable**!" black tendrils of energy burst form Jaden's back, the mist blocking out the moonlight coming through the top of the volcano. The gold eyes gazed around the battlefield, taking everything in with utter indifference. Chumley's burnt body stirred, clinging to life just barely.

Alexis was silently crying. The Supreme King looked upon her. _"__**So, this is the one Jaden desires. She is strong, cold. An ideal queen, if not for her feelings. She is desirable… what would you think if I took her from you, Jaden?**__" _

"**Wench. Heal that fat man. He has performed admirably, sacrificing himself for his king.**" The cold, clear voice rang out. Alexis looked at him, as though she had never seen him before. Then, she tore her hazel eyes away, running over to perform a stabilizing healing kido on Chumley.

Syrus stood, looking at the Supreme King with defiance. "Jaden, what are you talking about?" he said, unsure.

"I agree with the small child. You're kinda creeping me out, kid." Nightshroud commented. The king diverted his gaze towards the General. "**A hollow, here? This is unprecedented…."**

"What do you mean? Have you forgotten we were just fighting a second ago?!" Nightshroud yelled. **"I care not for why this battle is taking place. Truth be told, my host probably deserved his ass getting kicked. But I'm afraid that I can't let my landlord fall just yet. ** **Now, watch…" **He picked up the sword. **"…as I use this Bankai!"** The Supreme King clashed with Nightshroud, the sword clanging against onyx claws.

"This is amazing! I've never felt such dark spiritual pressure before! You're an even worse monster than I am!" Nightshroud exclaimed with glee. The King frowned as he and Nightshroud exchanged sword strokes. **_"And yet, this one has something deeper… not all is as it appears!"_** Wordlessly, The Supreme King blasted Nightshroud with a compressed air cannon, causing him to bounce against the ceiling of his own barrier.

Nightshroud tried to rush the Supreme King again, only to find himself shoved back again like a paddle ball. The armor dented, and the Seven Star General growled in frustration before taking the barrier down, much to Syrus' horror.

"Shit! Alexis, grab Chumley and I! The barrier is down!" Syrus yelled. She quickly grabbed Syrus and Chumley's wrists as she shut down, her body growing cold as they flash stepped out of the volcano. Nightshroud used Sonido to escape, the king following leisurely by propelling wind under his shoes.

Alexis, Syrus, and the unconscious, yet stable Chumley rolled down the slope of the Volcano until they reached the base.

"What a pain, this ash is gonna take forever to wash out of these footie pajamas." Syrus grumbled. Chumley slowly sat up, his clothes and skin burnt, but otherwise alright.

"Chumley, how are you feeling?" Alexis asked in blind fear. He clutched his side.

"I haven't been this exhausted since we had to run a mile for gym class."

Against her will, she laughed. "Well, I'm glad you're OK. I'm surprised at how effective that healing kido was!" All three of them suddenly caught sight of a flash of light in the middle of the air, a clear sign of the battle continuing.

As soon as the barrier was broken down, the key keeper's senses were overwhelmed with the unmistakable aura of Hollow reiatsu. Zane, Crowler, and Bastion hurried towards the volcano.

Chazz, who never completely let his guard down, snapped awake. Sensing what appeared to be two Hollows fighting, he took the effort to get out of bed, hurriedly putting on his clothes. Banner seemed to still be asleep.

Nightshroud was pounded again by an air cannon, this one more effective due to the higher concentration of air outside the barrier.

"Would you stop spamming that attack?!" He yelled. The king laughed, setting Nightshroud's teeth on edge. **"Not having so much fun now, are you? Truth be told, I'm just getting started!" **The king appeared behind Nightshroud, who could not track his movements at all.

"Wait… no, it cannot be! This voice!" Nightshroud sputtered. With no preamble, Jaden grabbed the General's arm, brought it over his own shoulder, and then clamped down hard, breaking the bone in two.

Nightshroud howled in pain, clutching his now useless arm. The king hit him with a double axe handle, sending him flying into the ground, where he skid down the side of the volcano, near Syrus, Alexis, and Chumley.

Jaden touched down softly on the black dirt, a malicious look in his eye. "**Your fate is looking clearer than ever, wouldn't you say, my General? It's really pathetic, being taken out so easily, you know.**" Nightshroud attempted to scramble to his feet, only for Jaden's boot to slam down on the back of his head, burying his face in the dirt.

"**As soon as a hollow gains the ability to reason, it immediately tries to harm others. Maybe humans and hollows are not so different after all. Now to finish you off**!" The point of Jaden's sword was held at the nape of Nightshroud's neck, the hollow having dropped out of his resurreccion form due to the pain of his broken arm.

He stopped, although not of his own will. A pair of cold, smooth arms had wrapped around Jaden's body. The Supreme King was banished to the recesses of Jaden's soul, his eyes returning to their melted chocolate hue.

"Please stop, please stop, stop, stop!" She broke down into tears. "Jaden, please, stop! It's over!" The sword fell from Jaden's hand soundlessly into the dirt. Syrus stared on, not sure what to do.

Jaden turned around, and she half expected to see the gold eyes, but they returned to their usual color. He hugged her back, holding her in his arms for a full minute. On a normal day, he would have killed for this opportunity, but the way she had cried cowed any perverted intentions he had.

"Babe, please don't cry. I never, ever want to see you cry, especially because of me…" She gazed upon Nightshroud's body.

"It's not just you….it's…" before she could finish, Zane, Crowler, and Bastion arrived on the scene, Chazz himself arriving a few seconds later.

"Just what the hell is going on here? Is that one of the Seven Star Generals?" Zane said in a commanding, yet worried tone. "Also, why are you guys in your sleepwear?" Bastion said with a hint of a smile.

"Funny story…" Jaden slurred, before promptly collapsing on the ground, unconscious.

"Look! The mask broke! It's my brother!" This claim from Alexis was so out of nowhere, so unexpected, that it didn't even register with the others at first. "Zane, come here!" She shrieked. He slowly walked over to where she was holding the body of the Seven Star General.

"What? Is that Atticus?" Zane looked up the broken body, seeing Atticus' face in the clothes of a Hollow.

"Wait, what?" Chazz said sharply while Bastion put Jaden in a fireman's carry. Chumley was carried with difficulty by Syrus and Crowler. "He's back! My big brother, after all this time, has returned! Quick, we need to get him to the infirmary, now! He's in critical condition!" She, by instinct, began to apply a healing kido to Atticus, although she already was on her last energy reserves.

Zane grabbed her wrists. "Don't. You're not too far away from ending up like Jaden and Chumley." He said in concern.

"Now wait just a minute! Why is Atticus a Hollow? And why did he feel the need to try and murder the four of you? The way I see it, he's going to be facing some questioning after he recovers." Said Chazz with a frown.

Alexis swiftly drew her sword, pointing the tip at Chazz's neck. "If you're implying that my brother is anything like that…thing we fought, you're asking to get your ass kicked. My brother would never say the things that Hollow said." She sad, her voice as hard as steel. Chazz's countenance changed completely, looking very embarrassed.

"I no longer sense any Hollow reiatsu from him, he seems completely human. This seems to be some form of possession, although I've never heard of Hollows being able to possess humans. This matter is indeed strange. It's possible that thing you guys fought wasn't a hollow at all, but merely something similar." Zane theorized.

"He used Resurreccion, he was definitely a Hollow. This also makes me wonder if Atticus could use his Shikai or Bankai anymore." Alexis said, regaining some poise. She withdrew her sword from Chazz's throat.

"An investigation would be wise, I think." Chazz added.

"Yeah, but not for the reasons you think, you pathetic little man. I hope you realize that the only reason that Sheppard chains you to this island like a dog is because of your power. Other than that, you're worthless; so don't butt in on things you don't understand!" She screamed at him. Chazz was now frightened, and it did look as though he was going to cry. He said nothing, then flash stepped away.

Zane gave Alexis a hard glare. "What on Earth was that? That wasn't like you at all, Lex."

She softened. "Yeah, I'm sorry. It's just….this has been a crazy night. First Jaden, now Atticus. Both of my boys have such horrible demons lurking within. I can't let Jaden see me like that again. The kid wants to surpass me, so I must remain strong and untouchable in his eyes. It's the only way he'll move forward."

"Indeed. You should apologize to Chazz as well. I know he's a little punk, but he didn't deserve that and you know it. I think you need to go to sleep after this." He suggested. She looked at him. "That sounds great."

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the thirteenth chapter of Kids with Swords!**

**Wow, what a chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed the reappearance of the Supreme King, as well as the four-on-one battle with Nightshroud! I know Jaden faced him alone in canon, but I figured having Alexis, Syrus, and Chumley fight with him not only shows off their skills, but also shows how powerful the Hollows are. The battles are only going to get more intense from here on out, so be ready!**


	14. THUNDERING GOLEM

_One Generation must pass on to another; it is one of the inevitable cycles in this life._

Elsewhere, a pale crescent moon reflected over a grey lake. Silvery mist covered above the surface of the water, and there was an unnatural chill in the air. A small canoe sat in the middle of the water, where a lone figure sat. A red dress sinfully hugged her curves. Emerald hair fell down over white skin, crimson lips gleaming in the fog. Bats lazily flew around the boat, and the scent of blood unmistakably permeated the air.

One of the bats fluttered down to the bow of the canoe, where the green-haired woman sat. Suddenly, she leered, unnaturally sharp teeth showing. "Nightshroud has fallen? Of course he has, the little hotshot. This is an opportunity to make my move, but it would be more prudent to wait. I will lull them into a false sense of security, then I will strike when the school's enchantments are weakest!"

The school's infirmary was blessedly empty, the only people hospitalized being Jaden, Chumley, and Atticus, Alexis' long lost brother. Syrus and Alexis had their injuries healed with kido, as they were not too serious. Jaden was sitting in his ward's bed, wearing a black t-shirt stained with drool from much-needed sleep. Syrus was relaxing in a chair at Jaden's bedside, playing a game on his phone.

Syrus had just finished his last class of the day, and immediately went to see his friends. Chumley's burns had been mostly healed, although he still had a nasty one on his back, where he took the brunt of the damage from the Inferno Fire Blast. He currently was sleeping, swathed in bandages, with ice packs on the burn area.

"I guess he has an excuse to sleep this time." Syrus commented, cursing as he died on Jetpack Joyride. "Yeah, and he's milking it for all its worth. But still, he deserves it for being a bro. I knew I made a good choice trusting you guys." Jaden said, ruffling Syrus' turquoise hair.

"Thanks, man." Syrus smiled. The door to the ward opened, with Alexis and the school's nurse, Ms. Fontaine, walking in. Jaden took in the eye candy with gusto, while Syrus had the decency to not look so obvious while ogling them. "Hey Lex, how's your bro doing?" Jaden asked casually.

"He's stable, but he appears to be in a coma. He hasn't woken in three days." Fontaine said briskly as she checked on him. Jaden craned his neck to see Atticus' bed. He had a few similar features to his sister, having smooth skin and a heart-shaped face. Otherwise, they looked very different. Alexis' hair was a dirty blonde while Atticus had sandy brown locks that almost went down to his shoulders. While Alexis was pale, Atticus was tan and toned.

Jaden looked over at Alexis with a smile that she reciprocated. His eyes then traveled to the book she was holding in her hand, and the smile slipped off of his face. "What's that book you've got there?" He asked with mounting dread. She held it in front of her body.

"It's Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer. Surely you've heard of it, the new movie is coming out soon. I love it! I can't decide if I'm Team Edward or Team Jacob." She said brightly.

"Where. The Fuck. Did You Get. That Piece of Shit rag?" He snarled. She frowned.

"Don't hate. You're just jealous that you can't be as perfect as Edward. And to answer your question, they're at the school store, although I expect they're all sold out by now. They're very popular among the girls at my dorm."

"Why am I not surprised?" Jaden put his head in his hands. "Syrus, back me up here." Syrus was shrinking in his chair; he was clearly afraid of sparking Alexis' wrath.

"Oh, well, you never know. Maybe that information about vampires could be useful?" He ventured.

"Useful? What the fuck? Man, I could go for some medicinal marijuana right now…

"As it turns out, this information about vampires may come in useful after all." Headmaster Sheppard had summoned Crowler, Banner, Zane, Bastion, and Chazz to his office.

"You can't be serious. There's no way that a vampire could be part of the Seven Star Generals. Real vampires don't have souls, therefore, there is no way they could wield a Zanpakuto. It's possible that it is a Hollow, but if it doesn't have a Zanpakuto, I don't see how it could have been inducted into the generals to begin with." Bastion tutted, growing quite tired of the Twilight-mania that had swept the campus in the last week.

"…Actually, that makes a lot of sense." Sheppard said after much deliberation. "Maybe you're taking it too literally, Bastion. It's possible that the Hollow's resurreccion gives it powers similar to vampires found in western literature, and that it could just be a coincidence." Zane said, holding a paperback copy of Twilight in his arms.

"Zane, what the fuck? Why are you reading that piece of shit rag?" Chazz said before barking a mirthless laugh.

"My choices of literature are no concern to you." Zane said coolly, trying to avoid interacting with Chazz after seeing him nearly melt down in front of Alexis. Ever since then, Chazz had been less caustic around his fellow key keepers, staying silent almost all of the time. However, it seemed that he found the Twilight novels an acceptable target.

Bastion was tapping his foot, clearly growing impatient with the proceedings. "I will certainly research powers common to vampires, but I have my doubts. I think you might have Twilight-mania, headmaster." He said.

"My choices of literature are of no concern to you, Bastion." Sheppard said loftily.

Banner chuckled. "Perhaps it's time to break out my old horror movie collection. Anyway, it shouldn't be too hard to kill the vampire, all we have to do is expose it to sunlight." He said. "Professor Banner, we're fighting Hollows, not vampires-" Bastion was cut off by Zane.

"Actually, Professor, in this book vampires don't die from exposure to sunlight. Instead, it makes their skin sparkle, like diamonds." After a stunned silence, Sheppard dismissed them from the room. On the way out, Crowler muttered under his breath, "And they mock _me_ for being effeminate…"

However, as soon as everyone left the room, Sheppard quickly opened one of his desk drawers, pulling out the third novel in the Twilight series, _Eclipse_. "Oh, Edward, take me away!" he squealed before eagerly beginning to read.

Chazz was walking down to the front door, looking to go back to the room he was granted in the Slifer dorm. It had very little in it, as Chazz no longer had money to burn. He usually whiled away the time training, or watching the small TV in his room. Banner had magnanimously agreed to pay for live pay-per-view boxing and MMA matches for him, and Chazz enjoyed watching them.

On the way to the entrance hall, he ran into Alexis, who was returning from the hospital wing. They froze, staring at each other awkwardly for several moments as other students walked by. Before Chazz could shove past her, she stopped him.

"Listen, I'm sorry about what I said to you the other day. It was a very stressful situation, and-" her speech sounded rehearsed, droll.

Chazz interrupted her. "I know, it was. I had it coming, so don't apologize. I don't wanna talk about it." He successfully shoved past her, walking with his head down away from her. She looked at his retreating form briefly, before turning and walking away.

"So apparently, he's trying to get me to research vampires, as if I would ever waste my time on that crap." Bastion finished explaining to Jaden about the meeting in Sheppard's office.

Jaden's eyes were completely bloodshot, and his head lolled back and forth. "Dude, I know that feel…" Bastion looked over to Chumley, who had finally woken up. "I'm surprised you didn't get your hands on some "medical" ganja, chum." Bastion said dryly.

"Didn't give it to me, the bastards. Apparently it has no effect on third-degree burns." Chumley muttered, clearly quite angry.

"Oh, the irony, the person who literally got blazed by demon fire can't get blazed now." Bastion said before chuckling.

Chumley grumbled before falling back onto his pillow. "Where's Syrus? I'm surprised he's not at your bedside like a concerned housewife."

"He like, went fishing or something… I don't even know, man." Jaden said before drifting off to sleep.

However, Syrus' location was quickly verified, as he ran into the hospital ward, screaming like a chicken with its head cut off. "I found a vampire! Down by the beach!" He yelled. Alexis hurried into he room as well. "Who is yelling?" She sputtered.

"It's Syrus again, he's going on about bloody vampires, claiming he saw one…" Bastion's dismissive words trailed off, as the key around his neck began to glow, signaling that the school's defenses had indeed been breached. Alexis and Jaden's keys followed suit, causing the bottom of Bastion's stomach to drop out.

"Impossible! Syrus, lead us there!" He and Syrus began to hurry out of the room. "Alexis, let's hurry!" "No, I'll stay here, and look after my brother and Jaden. I'll go if you guys are in trouble, but I'm in no hurry to fight another one of those generals." She said. "Fine, we'll take care of it." With that, Bastion and Syrus flash stepped to the beach.

The beach was chilly, the once fresh ocean breeze turned biting and cold. The sand, usually soft and warm, was wet and lumpy from the previous night's rain. The sky was completely overcast, and the sea was an iron grey. Bastion and Syrus had arrived last, with Zane, Crowler, Chazz, and Banner standing together. "So, where is this Hollow? I thought you saw her, Syrus." Zane said coldly.

Suddenly, a red carpet rolled across the beach, ending right at the key keepers feet. Their eyes traveled to the far end of the shore, near the limestone cliffs, where a small black canoe sat innocuously. "Ah, that must be where the Hollow is. The only question is, who will be the one to face it?" Banner seemed incredibly delighted.

"I'll go, that way we can done with this by dinner…" Chazz snarked.

However, the decision was made by Banner himself, who kicked Crowler in the back, pushing him to the front of the cue. Crowler yelped in fear.

"Oh, you'll be the one to fight, Professor?" Zane said.

"Excellent, we'll be right behind you." Bastion said.

"Wait, why don't we draw straws or something? Yes, let's do that. I'll go find some straws, you guys don't follow me!" Crowler stammered.

"Sorry, Crowler, you're up." Chazz leered. Their deliberation was interrupted by a figure that had walked up to them without their notice.

"I hope you've chosen your fighter, because I could've slit all of your throats in the time it's taken you to make your decision." She said in a sultry Transylvanian accent. Her eyes drifted over each of the key keepers. She held a seductive gaze over Zane for a brief moment, before tearing her eyes away.

"I take it you're one of the Seven Star Generals?" Crowler's voice cracked, but it grabbed her attention nonetheless.

"I am Camula, "vampire mistress" of the Seven Star Generals, yes." She answered slowly, taking in Crowler's strange appearance.

"You can't be serious…" Bastion facepalmed. "You're a vampire? I should get new horror movies…" Banner said raucously.

"And you lot are the key keepers? This may be easier than I thought. I take it the other two are still in the hospital? At least Nightshroud gave them something to remember him by. Now as for which of you I will feast on…" She pointed a long finger at Zane and licked her lips. "You, in the white jacket. You will be an excellent meal, darling…" She said, lust dripping in her voice.

"I think not, I'll be your challenger!" Crowler interjected. "Vellian "The Gay Clown" Crowler. I suppose I must clean up the riffraff before my real prize." She dismissed without taking her eyes off of Zane.

Crowler immediately drew his sword and went in for a stab directly at Camula's neck. She seemed surprised, but was able to use Sonido to teleport away. Crowler was breathing heavily. "If I've said it once, I've said a thousand times! No one calls me a gay clown and gets away with it! **Tatakai no Tame, Tetsuogoremu**!"

Crowler activated his shikai, a cue for all of the other key keepers to step back. Crowler raised his arm, causing a large, mechanical phantom limb to appear directly above it. He punched Camula, burying the fist in the sand, causing dust to fly everywhere. It seemed to connect, but Camula used Sonido at the last second, appearing directly behind Crowler. She pulled out two short sai daggers, aiming one directly at Crowler's back.

Crowler turned around, holding his hands in front of his body. "**Bakudo #63**, **Sajo Sabaku **(Locking Bondage Stripes)!" Two black spirit chains flew towards the advancing General, binding her arms and preventing her from moving.

"A level 63 binding spell, not bad at all." Zane commented. "Well, I guess he's our teacher for a reason." Bastion said dryly. It seemed the spell had stopped Camula in her tracks completely. Another black chain rose from the ground and coiled around her body, stopping her from moving at all.

"Ha! Plastic bats and rubber teeth! You're tricks don't scare me, not one bit!" Crowler raised his sword, causing the phantom limb to gain an abnormally large sword in its hand. He was about to bring it down on the General, when she smirked. Without warning, her physical form seemed to melt away. However, it soon became apparent that Camula's body was dispersing into a swarm of bats, which quickly flew away.

"No way, how was she able to do that? She had us all fooled!" Bastion said in a rare moment of surprise.

Banner opened his mouth, then closed it without saying anything.

"It appears to be some kind of illusion, substituting her body with those bats. Something like that would take inordinate amounts of reiatsu control." Zane theorized.

"Where did she go?" Crowler wildly swung Tetsuogoremu's arm about, trying to catch the disappeared General.

She suddenly appeared in front of him, slashing diagonally with her sai. The strike hit, slicing Crowler across his shoulder. Blood spurted from the wound, and Crowler fell backwards. A small drip landed on her hand, and she licked it off gleefully, revealing an unnaturally long tongue.

"Ah, the blood of humans is at last spilled on this blade! I can't wait to drink your blood, Professor." She practically spat the title at Crowler, who was clutching his shoulder and panting heavily.

The bystanders all drew their swords, with the exception of Syrus. "That's it, we have to step in, or she's gonna kill him!" Zane said in an uncharacteristically loud voice. None of them really liked Crowler, but that didn't mean they were going to let him die. However, Crowler struggled to his feet, gritting his teeth.

"I fail to see why you should continue this fruitless battle. Just let me at the one in white over there, he's the one I really want." Camula leered

"Hear that? I think you're her type." Chazz tilted his head over to Zane, who expression was ice cold.

"More like her blood type!" Banner laughed. No one else was amused.

"Well, what do you think? Give me your student, and you go free." She smirked. It was an empty promise. She fully intended on killing Crowler as well, as soon as he revealed his cowardice.

Crowler raised his sword. "As tempting as your offer is, I don't think so! As long as I'm here, no one is going to lay a hand on my students! Do you understand!? I am the leading professor at the greatest academy in the world, and if you think you can just toss me aside, you've got another thing coming!" He announced flamboyantly. The bystanders looked upon Crowler with newfound respect.

"Come on Crowler, you can barely stand!" Bastion yelled.

Crowler turned to Bastion. The audacious grin he wore looked very out of place on his aristocratic features. "Don't worry about me. I can still hold a sword in my hand, and this old dog has a few tricks left." Magenta reiatsu formed around Crowler's body, causing the ground to shake.

Camula looked very surprised. "Well, this may not be as big of a waste of time as I thought."

"**Bankai.** **Ultima Tenken Tetsuo **(Final Release: Ultimate Iron Heavenly Punishment)!" The sand shook beneath them, and the waves grew restless, lapping at their feet.

"No way, Crowler has Bankai!" Chazz yelled, shielding his eyes from the flying sand with his arm. From the ground, a dust brown giant, heavily armored, rose behind Crowler. It was easily the tallest structure on the entire island, much taller than the main academy building. Rusty gears and cogs spun within the golem's chassis, and red eyes glowed behind its steel armor.

"Wow, that's incredible!" Bastion exclaimed, quickly taking mental notes. "It's strong too. I have had the privilege of sparring against it before. It's completely controlled by Crowler, meaning that it has Crowler's speed, but proportionally higher strength." Zane explained.

Crowler raised his sword, the golem copying his movements. "Slay 'em." The blade was brought with enormous force, slamming against Camula. Her scream was muffled by the sound of sand flying around. The enormous crater made by the strike quickly filled with water from the ocean. Camula's body seemed to be submerged under the growing pool.

"Did he just take her out in one hit!?" Syrus squeaked. He looked around hopefully, but everyone's faces were still grave. "Concentrate, Syrus. She's still kicking, her reiatsu is as strong as ever. In fact, it's growing…" said Zane.

Camula rose from the dirty ocean water, the massive wound caused by Crowler's Bankai causing her to bleed heavily. She kneeled on the ground, coughing up more blood, staining the sand a rusty red.

"Well, how about that? You know, if you want some help with your skills, you can always stop by my class!" Crowler bowed as if he were a magnificent play actor.

"Don't get so cocky! That sort of arrogance got my people killed!"

"Ok, are you a real vampire, or not? The suspense is killing me!" Banner shouted.

She hissed at him. "Of course not, you fool!"

Bastion breathed a sigh of relief.

"No, but those were the days, the days of ridiculous superstition!"

"What are you blabbering on about? Reminiscing about Transylvania?" Crowler mocked. Camula gave a hollow chuckle. "It was ignorance like yours that ended up being the death of me. Because people assumed things, got caught in their own web of lies and gossip. My own village burned me at the stake because they thought I was a vampire! They burnt down my house and sought me out, in a haze of religious fervor!"

"Burnt you at the stake? This is the 21st century, where does that even happen anymore?" Bastion said. Zane tried not to be disappointed that Camula wasn't really a vampire.

"No, I died disgracefully, four hundred years ago, the year of 1614 in Transylvania."

"What? Hollows are not the spirits of the dead. How is this possible!?" Crowler yelped.

She composed herself, a sly grin adorning her features, even as the bleeding continued. "You have no idea, do you? My master can do things once thought to be beyond the capabilities of Human and Hollow. He has surpassed the boundary between human and Hollow, and I will live forever under his glorious reign as ruler of this universe!"

"**Ugate, Murcielago**. (Bite, Black-Winged Bat)" Camula unleashed black and red spiritual pressure, manifesting it on her back, coalescing it into the form of great leathery wings similar to the bat of the Resurreccion's namesake. They were blood red in color. Her hair had grown longer, now trailing halfway down her legs. Her sais were gone, replaced by sharpened claws on her fingernails. Her fangs extended as well, clearly visible now.

Everyone, with the exceptions of Chazz and Zane, quaked when feeling Camula's spiritual pressure. She placed one hand on the ground, coiled, ready to strike. When he looked at her, Crowler saw that her eyes had turned red, her pupils dilated into slits. "Now, Professor, it's time for a bloodbath!"

"I take it you just felt that, Chumley?" Alexis said, having sensed Camula go into Resurreccion.

"Yeah, I did. It's pretty much on the same level as Nightshroud's, maybe a bit weaker. Are you gonna go down there?" Chumley asked.

"Noooooo! Babe, don't leave me!" Jaden drawled. Ignoring him, Alexis turned to Chumley. "No. It's like I said, I'm not keen on fighting one of those demons again. Besides, Crowler's in Bankai, so he should be fine." She said, not really believing her own words.

Camula flew at Crowler, who swatted her away with his Bankai's backhanded fist. She caught herself in midair, and weaved back towards him. Crowler aimed another sword swing at her, but she easily dodged the golem's telegraphed strike.

She opened her hand, bright red energy gathering in her hand, before elongating, becoming a luminescent spear. "**Lanza del Relampago.** (Lance of the Lightning)" She threw it not at Crowler, but the giant behind him.

The thin lance pierced through the giant's abdomen, and Crowler let out a cry of pain, before clutching the same part of his torso that the giant was hit at.

Camula smirked. "It's as I thought. You and your Bankai seem to have a sort of symbiotic relationship, judging by the way it copies your movements. Therefore, I figured that whatever pain I inflict on this giant target would also be felt by you…."

Crowler fell on his knees, the phantom pain almost too much to bear.

"That's it! Crowler may be an asshole, but no one deserves this!" Bastion said, his sword clutched in his sweaty palm.

"No! This is my battle!" Crowler was now on only one knee, but Camula stood directly in front of him, another energy lance in hand.

Chazz stood between Bastion and Crowler. "He's right. You don't interfere with another man's fight. Especially not when his pride is on the line!" Chazz proclaimed.

"There is a difference between fighting for pride and fighting for one's life!" Bastion argued.

However, their argument was cut short, as Camula had prepared to stab Crowler through the heart. "Bakudo #61, Rikujokuro!" Six light pillars slammed into Camula's midsection, the shock causing her lance to dissipate into thin air.

Crowler frantically scrambled backwards, trying to create some distance. "That's quite impressive, a level 61 binding spell on the fly like that." Zane was the only one to remain calm throughout the battle.

Camula broke out of the spell easily, letting out a burst of reiatsu that shattered the light prison. She opened her mouth as far as it would go, baring her fangs.

Suddenly, a red ball of energy had appeared in front of her mouth, shaped into a sphere. "She's shaping her spiritual pressure into different weapons! First the lance, now an energy ball!" Crowler released as he gathered spiritual pressure in his mind.

Camula closed her jaw around the red energy, holding it her mouth. She threw her head back, her green hair frizzing wildly. "**Cero** (Hollow Flash)!" She released the energy in a compressed wave, a large red laser flying quickly towards Crowler. He quickly held both of his hands up.

"**Bakudo #81, Danku** (Splitting Void)" For a second, it seemed as though nothing had happened, but the second before the Cero would've hit Crowler, an invisible wall stopped it completely in its tracks.

The Cero disappeared, and Crowler nearly keeled over in exhaustion. He flicked his wrist, causing his Bankai to strike Camula with a quick backhand, sending her flying away, although she recovered quickly, and did not seem to be out of breath at all.

Camula leered as bats began to gather around her. With a gesture, she sent them at Crowler, who barely managed to fend them off with swordplay and a weakened Byakurai spell.

However, the bats were only a distraction as Camula had used Sonido to appear above Crowler's golem. She slid down the body of the giant, dragging her nails down its body, causing Crowler to feel the same pain.

Crowler was now teetering on the edge of unconsciousness, his already low pain tolerance being tested. His body had no visible injury on it, but the pain the golem took had rendered him almost completely incapable of continuing. Camula flashed in front of him, vindictive pleasure etched on her face, which had taken on a truly ugly look.

"Is that all?" Crowler made an effort to stand as tall as he possibly could. "I thought you Generals were supposed to be tough!" He exclaimed with valor.

She smiled blandly. "You've entertained me long enough, you gay clown." She kneed him in the crotch, causing a highly pitched yelp to come from Crowler's painted lips. As he fell over, she dug her claws into his abdomen. Using her other hand, she yanked his key from his necklace, gazing upon it with satisfaction.

Crowler's golem had disappeared, faded into nothingness. She tossed his body over to the bystanders, who all looked ready to slice her to ribbons. Zane flash stepped over to her, swinging his unsheathed blade at her so fast that the others didn't even register. She quickly Sonido'd away, Zane watching with a carefully neutral expression.

"Mmm, darling. So upset over his teacher's defeat. You're so brave." Her voice was practically predatory. Zane did not give any outward reaction.

"To humiliate him like that… that's pretty messed up." He said calmly.

"Well, as much as I'm sure you'd like to avenge him, I have a key to deliver. My master will honor me above all others for this prize."

Zane sheathed his blade. "Very well."

"What! You're just going to let her escape!?" Chazz yelled. "What a dishonor to Crowler!"

"I'll let you run away, this time. You will deliver your key, then you will meet me at the center of the forest in 48 hours. If you meet me on time, in that spot, then I will fight you, and if I lose, you may do whatever you please with me. If not, you will have to make do with the riffraff." Zane said, pointing to Bastion, Syrus, and Chazz.

She regarded him with a calculating expression. "We shall see. You presume very much, darling. But your prospect is almost too good to resist…" Her body melted apart into bats, all of which flew away into the night. Zane turned to his compatriots. Chazz was seething at Zane's presumed insult, while Bastion had a smile on his angled face.

"What the hell do you mean by riffraff?" Chazz said threateningly. "Chazz, old boy, don't take him seriously. That whole conversation was expertly done, Zane. You were able to decide when she would strike next, therefore eliminating the possibility of a random attack. I'm very impressed." Bastion said admiringly.

Zane nodded, grateful that Bastion had picked up on the conversation's nuance. "Now that Crowler here has gauged her power, I know that this should be no problem. I was surprised at how long he held on, though. He fought a valiant battle. Now then, Syrus, take him up to the hospital wing, please." Zane ordered, Syrus grabbing hold of the unconscious body before flash stepping away.

"So some vampire chick that wants Zane's dick beat the shit out of Crowler… whatever." Jaden said, repeating what Syrus had just told him in less….eloquent fashion. "And Zane's gonna fight her this Wednesday night." Syrus said.

"He should be fine. Zane has never lost a battle, and I doubt this will be the first." Alexis said, confident. "Yeah, but I get the feeling that she's gonna put up a better fight than those Twilight vampires would…."

Jaden and Chumley were released from the infirmary the next day, Jaden smuggling some medical marijuana out of the building. The weather had taken a turn for the worse, with a cold front coming in overnight. Jaden and Chumley wore Duel Academy sweats, but still shivered on the long walk back to the dorm.

"Man, sucks about what happened to Crowler." Chumley said as he rubbed his large nose.

"I'm not that fussed, to be honest. Keep in mind, that's the same guy that tried to get us kicked out most of our first semester here." Jaden said while sipping a canned coffee. "That's kinda messed up, screwing with our freedom." He added.

"Well, it was more you and Syrus than me. Where is Syrus, by the way? I need him to cook my afternoon grilled cheese." Chumley's stomach was already growling, even though they had eaten less than thirty minutes ago.

"He's been pampering his precious big brother, Zane."

Syrus was making sure his brother was comfortable in the days leading up to his match with Camula, although Zane himself had told him it was unnecessary. "Well, you know that Syrus, always likes to feel needed…" Chumley said slowly. "He is needed, he was a great help against Nightshroud! I don't get why he would do anything for someone who couldn't care less!" He practically snapped at Chumley.

"Bro, are you OK? You seem really edgy." Chumley said, worried. Jaden paused. "Sorry Chum, I didn't mean to kill your vibe. It's just…. These Generals are killing mine."

The two days passed too quickly. The night was as chilly as ever as Zane and the other key keepers, as well as Syrus and Chumley, ventured into the forest. Everyone had their swords drawn, and they were moving in a formation that meant that all of their backs would be covered in the case of a sneak attack.

"Damn, this is nerve-wracking…" Chumley muttered. "No kidding. This is more like a horror movie than ever." Banner said. Eventually, they made it to the middle of the forest. The trees cleared, leading to a small meadow. A pond, coated over in moss and lily pads, was situated near the edge of the field.

Camula was waiting there, sitting near the edge of the pond, tracing ripples in the water with her index finger. She brightened when she saw the group of warriors. Zane stepped forward, while the rest of the students and Banner hid behind the evergreens, their bodies partially hid in shadow.

"Zane "Kaiser" Truesdale. I'm so glad you didn't stand me up." Zane's game face was on, a perpetual, stony frown adorning his patrician features. "I take it you want revenge for you dear Professor Crowler? What a shame I couldn't have spent five more minutes with him, then he would've been dead for sure. It's almost unforgivable that I left him alive, the unsightly gay clown." She cackled, while Zane and the others watched on, silently.

"Now then, if I win this little fight of ours, you will be coming with me, precious. I think you'll find the dungeons at my castle most suitable. Not to mention that key of yours will be mine as well. And if you win-"

"You speak as if we're having a friendly competition. Do you think I made it where I am today with an attitude like that? I refuse to play games. Your life will be the only prize taken in this battle." Zane cut her off, his words cold and clear.

"I bet you talk to all the girls like that."

"Bitch…" Alexis muttered under her breath.

"No, just the ones I really don't like."

"Well, since you are taking this so seriously, I won't hold back. Ugate, Murcielago." Jaden, Alexis, and Chumley were taken aback by the sudden transformation, but the others, having seen it before, were unimpressed.

The grass browned, the trees drying out. It seemed as though Camula's Resurreccion had killed all of the plant life in the area. Zane and the demonic Camula lunged at each other. Zane's sealed Zanpakuto clanged against Camula's claws as they danced around each other. Camula fiercely swiped at the even-tempered Zane, who was repelling her with pure swordsmanship.

"Wow, he's good, to be able to fight on par with a Resurreccion Hollow while not using his Shikai or Bankai!" Alexis said.

Jaden was dumbstruck. "Wow, how much was he holding back against me?"

Camula scratched at Zane once more, the clash causing both of them to skid backwards on the forest floor. Camula licked a small drop of blood from the corner of her mouth, relishing the iron taste. "Oh, my dear, how can our relationship progress if we keep secrets from each other? I'm so sad to discover that you are still holding back."

Zane pointed his sword directly at her. "What tipped you off?"

"Do not play dumb! You are still fighting me with an unreleased Zanpakuto, and you haven't used any kido!" She sounded extremely frustrated.

"If you insist… I'll just have to resort to an old standby, then. Hado #63, Raikoho." An intense bolt of lightning erupted from Zane's palm, crackling with energy, and making the air smell like ozone. Camula quickly gathered energy in her mouth, performing the same attack she did against Crowler. "Cero!" The red beam clashed with the yellow, causing energy to spurt out everywhere. Bastion released his Shikai, keeping everyone protected from the battle behind his Koen barrier.

Both blasts canceled each other out at the same time. A large cloud of dust kicked up, obscuring Camula's vision. Zane appeared behind her, kicking the General in the small of the back. She was launched forward, her face colliding with the dirt. Chazz chuckled maliciously. Zane's foot was still cocked in striking position, his azure hair swaying slightly from a sudden breeze. He looked cool, collected, and in control.

Before Camula could get up, her head was slammed into the ground, courtesy of Zane's boot. He raised his sword above her neck, before ruthlessly plunging it downwards. To his surprise, the sword grinded against Camula's ivory skin, only producing a small cut. "What is this!?" He said, frustrated. She flared her reiatsu, throwing Zane off balance and allowing her to retreat into the air, via her bat wings.

"You think that a Hollow like me could get cut by a fallible piece of human steel!? No, we Hollows have evolved beyond this. Our skin is tougher than a human's, especially while in Resurreccion. It is known as our "Hierro (Iron Skin). Now you'll find that you will be forced to release your Shikai against me, dear." She purred.

Zane scowled, but his features eventually smoothed over again. "I could still cut you with this sword. That means that I should be able to kill you with this sword. It would be the only challenge I'd be getting out of this fight regardless."

Camula's normally very pretty face had deformed into a hideous sneer. "You dare mock me, schoolboy! I have fought and warred for over 400 years, against men far greater than you! To me, you are nothing but a mere infant, and you have the audacity to speak to me like that!?" She shrieked, her formerly demure attitude revealed to be nothing but a careful façade.

Zane flash stepped, appearing above the General. He backflipped in midair before aiming a well-placed bicycle kick at her head. She turned around, only to receive Zane's boot print on her face. She was sent spiraling towards the ground, only for Zane to suddenly reappear at her side. He wordlessly cast Hado #1, Sho, causing Camula's momentum to awkwardly shift 90 degrees. She skid against the ground, before hitting a tree trunk head on.

"A silent Sho! Now that's just insulting. He could have used any other kido and it would've did more damage." Chazz barked.

"Well, they're called the basics for a reason, they can be highly effective for a well-practiced fighter." Bastion reasoned.

Camula quickly scrambled to her feet. Zane's Obelisk Blue uniform was as crisp as ever, and he looked utterly unflappable.

"The only reason I even agreed to this ridiculous nonsense, other than the fact that the old codger blackmailed me, was the prospect of fighting a strong opponent. I know it seems like a cliché motivation, but you must realize how very lonely it is at the top. I thought I would be able to use my Bankai, for the first time in a long time. I see now that was just a foolish pipe dream… you are nothing but fodder like the rest. My only hope is that the next generation will rise, and give me a decent fight."

Zane sheathed his sword, a mocking gesture of itself. He punched Camula in the stomach, before unleashing a barrage of surgically precise punches, his fists appearing as mere blurs of motion. He stopped for a moment. Camula's hierro prevented horrible injuries, but the concussive force of the fists was making her head spin.

"Are you waiting for your second wind? Well, keep waiting, because it's never going to come." Zane's voice was oddly wistful.

Camula snarled. "I've had enough of your arrogant rambling! Lanza Del Relampago!" She conjured a red spear of light in her hand, and desperately flung it at Zane. Zane stepped three paces to his right, completely evading the shot. Unbeknownst to him, however, it did not appear to be aimed at Zane at all, but the audience of key keepers standing behind him.

"Shit! **Doryuuheki**!" Jaden slammed his fist into the forest floor, raising a mud wall in front of the energy attack. Bastion put all of his energy into his Aegis, while Chazz and Alexis quickly prepared a defensive kido. "**Bakudo #37, Tsuriboshi** (Suspending Star)!" They shouted. Blue energy flowed from both of their bodies, coalescing into a blue ball. From the ball, six gooey tendrils of energy attached themselves to stable points in the area, mostly trees. The spell formed an elastic defensive net to defend from the lance.

Even with three layers of defense, the lance proved to bee too powerful. It blazed past the Bakudo, and exploded on contact with the earthen barrier Jaden made, causing the key keepers to be flung backwards. Many of them hit their heads on rocks or tree trunks, causing their vision to swim.

"Is everyone OK? Cause I'm gonna have a nasty headache after this…" Jaden yelled. From the darkness of the forest, they all heard a yelp of fright in a voice that sounded too much like Syrus'.

Camula had used Sonido in the confusion, grabbing Syrus and holding her claws to his throat. "Well, darling, this is an interesting situation, wouldn't you say?"

Zane looked positively enraged. "Are there any depths to which you won't sink? Kidnapping an innocent person and holding them hostage!" He yelled. "I'm surprised that you are so naïve. You should know that in a real battle, there is no such honor! Now, you have a choice! Either you hand over the key, or else little Sy goes night-night."

Zane was poised to attack, his blue eyes desperately scanning for an opening to strike.

She seemed to sense this. "Don't bother with that. You're fast, but are you fast enough to keep me from slitting his throat before you can stop me?" Zane paused, his muscles uncomfortably coiled. "Well, what is that? Would you sacrifice your brother's life for this?" The others looked on with anger. Even Banner's grin had disappeared, a calculating look replacing it. Zane looked over at Alexis, slowly nodding his head before turning back to Camula, who didn't seem to notice.

Zane looked down at his key. "The choice is clear." He yanked his key necklace, ripping the cord that attached it to his neck and tossing it over to Camula. She caught it, inspecting it as though to make sure it was the real one.

"Very nice, dear. Frankly, that was easier than I thought it would be." A bat seemed to appear out of nowhere, grabbing the key with its feet before taking off into the night.

"Whatever Sheppard has in that little box of his is of no concern to me. Now, hand Syrus over." Syrus seemed to visibly deflate, sighing in relief, only for Camula's grip on him to tighten. "

Never trust the enemy! You were foolish to hold up your end of the bargain!" Before Camula could slit Syrus' throat, her hand was frozen in a block of ice.

"Hakuren!" Alexis had quickly used her Shikai from the sidelines, distracting Camula long enough for Syrus to scramble away.

"Oh, nice move!" Bastion said, relaxing as well.

Camula easily broke out of the ice, and she was more furious than ever. "You cheating bastard!" "Oh, the irony is delicious. She doesn't hold up her end of the deal, then she accuses Zane of playing dirty." Jaden laughed.

"Since you wanted to see my Shikai so badly, you'll get your wish. "**Goro, Raijin no Ken** (Rumble, Fist of the Lightning God)."

A bolt of pale blue lightning struck down on Zane from the sky above. Electricity crackled around his body, and his eyes were glowing turquoise. Camula's face was frozen in a still of terror. Zane crouched slightly, before disappearing in a crack of thunder. The bystanders could hear the vaguely metallic "tzing" of a sword slash.

For a moment, Camula was completely still, until her body completely fell apart, blood spurting everywhere. She was completely sliced and diced. Zane shimmered into view again, sheathing his sword. He turned around, incinerating her remains with a wordless Shakkaho kido.

"Edward Cullen is stronger than you." Zane said. Jaden squealed in delight. "That was so cool!"

"Wait, what just happened?" Bastion wasn't the only one scratching his head. While Chazz and Jaden were in awe of Zane's prowess, Syrus, Chumley, and Banner as well as Bastion were thoroughly confused. Alexis, who was already aware of what Zane's Shikai did, merely smiled.

"My Zanpakuto, Raijin no Ken, is of the lightning element. It transfigures my entire body into a flash of electricity, allowing me to move at the speed of a lightning bolt. Therefore, I can kill someone like Camula in what seems to be an instant." Zane deigned to explain.

Everyone paused, absorbing the information. "That…was so cool!" Chazz and Jaden exclaimed at the same time. They noticed this, and both quickly said, "Jinx! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten! Pinch, poke, you owe me a coke!" The rivals then stared at each for a moment before turning away, fuming.

Everyone stared at them for a moment. "Good lord, this whole thing is just an ordeal. From fighting weaklings, to dealing with this bullshit. Well, at least now that I gave up that key, I can go do something more worthwhile." Zane muttered.

"Is that why you gave her that key?" Alexis playfully nudged him on the arm.

"Maybe now that old fool won't drag me into his business."

"Wait, you were able to own that Hollow even though she was in Resurreccion! Your sword was sealed the entire battle! Couldn't you just take out the rest of the generals and we'll call it a day?" Chumley mentioned, always looking for the simplest solution.

It was a good point; Bastion nodded in agreement. "It would make things simpler."

"My key is gone; I have no business fighting weak hollows anymore. You guys need this opportunity to grow, see the world for yourselves. If I just handheld you all the time, how could you possibly grow?" Zane countered.

"I completely agree!" To everyone's surprise, Jaden was concurring with Zane.

"I don't care why we're fighting these guys; all I know is that they will threaten our lives, and the lives of others at this school. Whatever Sheppard has in his little treasure box, it doesn't change the fact that I'm not cool with these Hollows are coming in and killing our collective vibe. Besides, I'm having fun with you guys!" Jaden was completely sincere. His words seemed to strike a chord in the group, even Chazz regarding him with some semblance of respect.

Another surprising gesture; Zane smiled at Jaden's words. "That's a great attitude, kid. The next generation may be in better hands than I thought." With that, the cadre of warriors walked through the forest back to the academy, something resembling unity in the group at last.

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the fourteenth chapter of Kids with Swords!**

**Fun chapter to write this week. I greatly enjoyed crafting the Bankai of Crowler (imagine Komamura's Bankai mixed with Ancient Gear Golem), Zane's shikai (OP beyond belief) and Camula's Resurreccion (based on Ulquiorra's) Tell me what you guys thought of the new swords!**

**Zane and Crowler's characters are also given some spotlight here, which is good, because they're good characters, with enough nuance to keep them interesting from both a writing and a reading standpoint. I decided not to have Jaden fight Camula, because realistically, Zane would not need any help in beating her, even with the hostage situation. Besides, Jaden's gotten enough attention. It's time to give some love to the side characters.**

**Speaking of which, next chapter will be one of my personal favorite battles yet, Bastion vs Tania! Tune in next Saturday for more!**


	15. EYE OF THE TIGER

_A warrior is not trained to think; but to do._

Cold sweat was rolling Jaden's face. His eyes were narrowed in tension, clenching his muscles. "This is it! Sudden death is imminent! **_I can't remember a more dire situation_**!"

"KO!" The video game's announcer boomed, as Jaden's character was killed by a rising dragon kick from Chumley's.

"Sorry, bud, but I win this round!" Chumley farted in celebration.

"Um, not to be a buzzkill, but shouldn't we be training or something?" Syrus asked, sitting cross-legged in his beanbag chair, facing the television.

"Syrus, it's been three weeks since that vampire chick got her ass whooped by Zane. Good gravy, that beatdown was so bad I wouldn't be surprised if it scared the rest of 'em off." Jaden said nonchalantly as he drank a can of Four Loko.

"This is true, but since Zane no longer has his key, he won't be challenged by any of the remaining five hollows, if they show up." Syrus reasoned.

"Well, why don't we ask the other members of our super squad if they want to train? Perhaps we could get some team bonding going!" Jaden grinned.

The Slifer boys ambled a few doors down to their good friend Chazz's room. On the wooden door was a piece of lined paper that had the words "**FUCK OFF**" written in bold, black permanent marker.

"Alrighty then, let's go talk to someone else."

They left the Slifer Red dorm, Professor Banner giving them a strange stare as they walked past him. After a short walk, they arrived at the hospital wing. To Jaden's complete lack of surprise, Alexis was there, staring at the prone form of her unconscious brother. "Hey there."

She turned to face them, her face brightening slightly. "Hey, what's up?" "Well, Syrus here thought that it would be a good idea to band together our super team to get some training done."

"Oh really? And how well is that going for you?" She asked, a watery smile on her face.

"To be fair, you're the second person we've come to, and Chazz was really busy." Chumley said.

"Right. Well, why don't you ask Bastion? He's been really antsy lately. He's probably crazy prepared for the next one of the hollows to arrive." She suggested quickly.

"OK, maybe we will. Of course, you'll have to repay standing us up by going to the beach at 9:AM with me this Valentine's Day. It's only a few days from now." Jaden took a sudden opportunity to ask Alexis out, something he always toyed with doing, but never found the nerve to, until now.

Syrus and Chumley hung back awkwardly, as they were not expecting the conversation to take this turn. Alexis, true to form, composed her face into a smooth, inscrutable mask. "Sure, I've always wanted to learn how to fish."

"Alright, I'll see you then. Later!" He quickly escorted Syrus and Chumley from the room. When they were out in the hallway, both of them looked to Jaden with expectant expressions.

"That was awkward." Chumley said bluntly. "Sorry, but the time just seemed right, you know?" Jaden laughed.

Syrus shook his head. "You are so impulsive, one of these days I think you're gonna throw your suitcase into the sea just because the "time felt right"."

"Hate all you want, but in the end, I'm the one who is going to be having sex on a boat. You could say I'll be motorboating on an actual motorboat."

"You are disgusting."

"So what you're saying to me is that this Hollow actually took your key by force?" Sheppard slowly repeated, while Zane stood uncomfortably in his office. Sheppard was sitting in his black leather swivel chair, his back turned to Zane as he stared out the picture window.

"Yes, sir, the Hollow took my brother Syrus hostage." Zane's voice was stiff.

"And you weren't fast enough to stop her." He stated in obvious disbelief.

"She distracted me with an explosion, and captured him in the ensuing dust." Zane bristled at Sheppard's subtle jibe.

Sheppard tented his fingers. "I see. It is unfortunate that the vampire got your key before you could kill her. What is equally unfortunate, however, is that we cannot discern where the Generals are meeting. It seems that their reiatsu is being obscured through a Fukashi spell. It seems that a human has been assisting the Generals for some reason. Now that you no longer hold that key, I cannot ask you to risk your well-being, but if you did, I would have you hunt that human down."

"You have my sincerest apologies for my failure, sir."

"It is alright. You are dismissed, Zane."

Zane turned around, a small smile on his face as the door closed behind him. "Old codger." Zane muttered under his breath.

The door to Bastion's room looked no different than any other dorm in the Obelisk Blue boys building. However, Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley were immediately unnerved after a camera erupted from the doorknob when Syrus tried to reach for it.

"VISUAL CONFIRMATION REQUIRED. STATE YOUR BUSINESS AT THE DORM ROOM OF MASTER MISAWA." A robotic voice intoned in a blaringly loud volume.

Before any of them could speak, a small ping sounded from the camera. "IDENTIFIED AS JADEN YUKI AND SYRUS TRUESDALE. THE MASTER DID NOT SUMMON YOU HERE. PREPARE TO BE ANNIHILATED."

"Wait, what the fu-"

"Let them in. I swear, you and your homicidal tendencies. If this happens again, I'm getting a new security system." Bastion's lofty voice yelled from inside.

The door dilated, and the Slifer boys' eyes were assaulted with bright lights from a variety of electronic screens. The room was quite dark, the only lights coming from the aforementioned screens, and a dark blue underlight beneath a plush leather recliner.

In the recliner itself was Bastion, who was wearing a dark purple bro-tank and khaki board shorts. He held a video game controller in his hands, and had just paused a game that was taking place on multiple screens on the wall and ceiling.

"Gentlemen, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Jaden gawked. "Damn, this is your room? How much money have you been making off homework?"

Bastion put down the controller, and strode over to them. "Oh, enough to get by. And this is merely my entertainment chamber. I fear it is too dark in here. Follow me to the lab."

The next room over was in sharp contrast with the last. The bright light, combined with the white decorum, caused the boys to cover their eyes. Once his eyes got used to the brightness, Jaden saw that Bastion's lab was exceptionally neat, with beakers full of strange black smoke, as well as various brightly colored liquids.

Bastion leaned against a sterile white table. "I must ask that you not touch anything in here. Even brushing against some of these items will alter their properties to the point where I would have to scrap the experiment entirely. It's quite a big deal. Now then, what did you gentlemen want to talk about?"

They gaped around the room for a second before Syrus spoke up. "We were just wondering if you want to train with us. I think that the next of the Seven Star Generals will surprise us soon."

Bastion nodded. "Very well, we shall use my personal weight training facility I had installed in the basement of the dorm. I need to get out of the lab anyways."

"What are you doing in here, anyways?" Jaden blurted. Bastion paused, casting a sideways glance at Jaden.

"I am studying Hollow reiatsu, examining its properties and whatnot. I am researching how it reacts when combined with human reiatsu. With enough time, I may find a chemical weakness. However, progress is slow, for now. Now then, let us leave.

The gym in the basement of the Obelisk Blue boys dorm was spacious and cool, outfitted with a vast array of machines, dumbbells, benches, and squat racks.

"Man, Chumley would have a heart attack just looking at this!" Syrus huffed as he ran on a treadmill. After finishing a set of hammer curls, Jaden smiled cheekily at Bastion, who was toweling the sweat from his forehead.

"So, you got a slam piece lined up for Valentine's Day?"

"The mere fact that I actually deciphered what you were saying means that I hang out with you too much, Jaden. And to answer your question, I find that I have no time for birds."

"I wasn't talking about birds. I was talking about girls. You know, chicks, babes, hoes." Jaden quipped.

"Yes, its what we call them in England." "Ah, I see. Married to the job, I suppose?"

Bastion politely laughed. "Too right I am. I am far too focused to worry about silly trifles like that."

The rest of the week crawled by, as the Slifer boys had no homework to keep themselves busy. As Jaden's date with Alexis grew closer, he became more and more smug, a wild confidence becoming apparent to his peers. By the 13th, he was practically brimming with energy.

"After six long months of game, I'm finally gonna hit it, Syrus!"

"I know, you've told this to me seven times. Today. Why don't you find something that puts your energy to good use?" Syrus snapped, his friend's attitude growing tiresome.

Suddenly, Jaden's phone received a text, and he received an alert. He quickly snapped the device open, only to find that the text was from Professor Banner of all people. Sheppard had insisted that the key keepers share phone numbers, something that Chazz and Zane resented. Jaden himself was less than pleased about giving any of his personal information out to his creepy math teacher, but he had no choice.

"_Fellow key keepers, there is something strange happening here in the forest that we all should investigate. The barriers around the school have also recently been disturbed, so there is reason to believe there is a hollow in the forest._" Banner was one of those weird people who sent texts with perfect grammar and formatting. Jaden read the message out loud; Syrus had already woken Chumley from his afternoon nap.

They rushed into the woods, instinctually going to the same clearing that Zane and Camula had their battle in. The key keepers came together before entering the woods, sensing each other's spiritual pressure. Crowler had also come, but Zane did not.

Crowler was reserved, quiet, and overall a complete reversal of his usual persona. It seemed that he was embarrassed, but none of the students felt anything resembling ridicule towards the professor after his brave fight against Camula.

As soon as they reached the clearing, everyone broke out in raucous peals of laughter. A large, stone-hewn coliseum had been erected where the meadow once stood, its orange hue contrasting with the green pine trees.

"And I thought I had seen everything!" Jaden squealed. "Good lord, they just get more and more ridiculous! What's next, a bloody airship!?" Bastion wheezed as he clutched his side.

They entered the arena, everyone stifling giggles. However, they all lost it when they saw the reason that the stadium had been built so quickly. Their own classmates, and students in the case of Banner and Crowler, were happily toiling away, stacking large bricks and chipping into foundation with dull pickaxes. Everyone was derisively laughing, except for Chazz, who wore a malicious smirk.

Suddenly, the shrill and loud noise of a whistle cut through the air. "Alright boys, that's enough for today! Line it up!" A handsome woman who was very muscular had blown the whistle. She was dark-skinned and tall, wearing a tan tube top and tight jeans. She wore what looked like broken handcuffs on her wrists, as well as metal ankle bands. Her russet hair was tied up into a long ponytail, giving her a fierce appearance. Immediately, the various Duel Academy students (all of them male) formed a single-file line, where the woman proceeded to hand them all paper envelopes.

"Well paid for a job well done!" She said in a matronly tone, only for her voice to suddenly turn cold as steel. "Now get out of my sight, you disgusting lowlifes." The boys nodded happily and sprinted from the arena, running past the stunned key keepers. Soon, they were alone with the massive presence of this woman.

"Where to begin?" Banner stated, and they all began to laugh again, only to be cut off by the woman's clear, confident voice.

"Well, I'm afraid that if you lot are interested in working on this arena, you are out of luck. I'm no longer hiring."

"You're hiring students to build this…arena? I might remind you that goes against underage labor laws, and I'm sure you did not seek the Headmaster's express permission to build here!" Crowler harped.

She sharply glanced at them, her dark brown eyes analyzing each of them. "I could care less. I wanted this arena built for my own purposes. The glorious art of war can only be conducted outdoors, not in those stifling, man-made rings of your design. My tribe would scoff at the very thought of what this generation is turning into." She said loftily.

"Ok, you lost me. What do you mean, your tribe?" Chazz hissed.

"Surely you have heard of the great warrior princesses of the Amazon? Indeed, I am the last of my breed. In the old days, my people fought against true warriors, the Phrygians, the Trojans."

"What are all of these words she's saying?" Jaden leaned over and whispered to Bastion.

"She claims she is an Amazon, an all-female clan of warriors from classical mythology. Clearly, she's either insane, or she might be the Seven Star General that we're looking for."

"Indeed. Remember, Camula was resurrected as a hollow from the 16th century. It's not too much of a stretch to believe that this one was reincarnated from Ancient Greece." Alexis interjected.

"The girl is right, as I would expect. I am Tania, of the Seven Star Generals. My master brought me back to life so that I may fight once more, and bring back the name of Amazon!" She roared.

"That's ridiculous! There is no such thing as an Amazon, they were merely legends, nothing more!" Bastion huffed, a pale color coming to his cheeks.

"Well then, it is clear that I will have to challenge your oh-so flat worldview today, key keeper. But I did not come here just to fight. You see, once a year, each woman in the tribe must go out and sully herself with a male. Unfortunately, it is necessary to procreate and allow the tribe to live on. So, whichever of you pigs proves yourself most worthy will come with me for a night of sweet snu-snu. Your key will also be forfeit." She said all of this with utmost seriousness.

"Honestly, I would be perfectly OK with losing this fight." Banner shrugged.

"No. You are too old and spindly. I would break you in two." Banner and Tania exchanged a significant look.

"You must be joking. There is no way that you are a Seven Star General. Even if you were, there is no way any of us would agree to such a dishonor." Chazz said, before sheathing his sword.

"I see. No, you are far too proud to be an Amazon's mate. That leaves two of you." She cast her eyes on Jaden and Bastion. "I figured I would be sitting this one out." Alexis sighed.

Jaden looked as though he would also be fine with a night of snu-snu, but Bastion was able to keep his dignity completely. He stood with an imperceptible mask, arms crossed defiantly.

She pointed her finger at Bastion. "You. You will be perfect for this." "I'm sure I don't know what you mean." Bastion said a little too quickly.

"The one in red is confident, sure of himself, and probably experienced. I can tell by your starched clothes, your desperate attempts to save face, that you have no such experience." "_Damn, that's pretty accurate_." Bastion thought.

"Now then, hurry up and draw your sword. You better hope you can take me, my little bookworm. Are you ready to be completely emasculated in front of your friends?" "I was born ready!" Bastion's Koen barrier shimmered in front of his left arm. Tania sprinted towards Bastion, her brass-knuckled fist racing directly towards the orange shield.

"Wait, does she have a sword?" Jaden said. "That would be crazy if she could hide one on that slutty outfit." Alexis grit her teeth.

Jaden smirked. "Oh, how I wish you fought her, Lex." She slapped him on the back of the head.

"Good lord, whoever the boss of these generals is, he must have horribly low standards." Chazz sniped. "Wait, why is she punching at Bastion's shield?" Syrus seemed to be the only person who was actually focusing on the fight.

Tania's fist rattled against Kotomaru's barrier, which stood firm. Bastion aimed his rapier to pierce through her stomach, only for the Amazon to _Sonido_ away.

Bastion closed his eyes, trying to get a lock on where she was. Sensing her reiatsu, he quickly turned around and gathered red energy in his hand. Tania flickered out of her flash step, only to be completely caught by surprise. "**Shakkaho**!" Bastion slammed a red ball of power into her side, flinging her smoking body to the far side of the arena.

After skidding across the ground for a moment, Tania backflipped onto her feet, coming to a full stop. "Interesting. I've never seen Hado #31 used at point-blank range like that." Crowler observed.

"Is that all you've got, hun?" Tania called. A light-grey peg of energy appeared in Bastion's hand. "**Bakudo #62, Hyapporankan** (Hundred Steps Fence)." He threw the glowing hot rod of energy towards Tania. Soon, it separated into exactly one hundred identical beams.

Tania allowed the binding spell to hit her, the pillars pinning her to the arena wall, her arms and legs immobilized. Bastion flash stepped in front of her, aiming for another stab. Tania leered.

"No, Bastion, wait!" Jaden yelled, but it was too late. Tania opened her mouth as wide as it would go. "**Cero**!" Unlike Camula's red laser, hers was a brilliant yellow in color.

Bastion's eyes widened; he quickly put up his Koen barrier, but it was soon shattered from the force of the blast, and Bastion was engulfed in the beam. "Oh no!" Everyone exclaimed.

"Damn, that was an amateur mistake!" Chazz said. No one liked Chazz's attitude, but they all knew he was right. Bastion's bakudo had dissipated, and Tania walked expectantly towards the smoking crater where Bastion was.

He struggled to his feet, obviously badly hurt by Tania's attack. His Obelisk Blue jacket had been scorched to a crisp, so he was left wearing only a grey muscle shirt and his khaki pants.

She stood with her arms crossed, waiting for him to stand up. When he did, she swiftly punched him in the gut, before kicking him in the face, causing Bastion to go flying.

"I'll admit, I did not travel here solely for the purposes of finding a mate. It was also to avenge the murder of my comrade, Camula!" She roared.

"What about Nightshroud?" Alexis decided not to mention the current situation regarding her brother.

"Hmph. He was, in the end, a foolish man who rushed into battle with reckless abandon. Camula did not. She was humiliated by you humans and was never given a chance for mercy!"

"Keep in mind, she was going to murder the rest of us before sinking her claws into Zane." Chazz shuddered.

Bastion panted, getting to his feet once more. "Perhaps you aren't man enough for me. You may only be fit for licking the bottom of my boot, you swine."

Bastion's eyes lit up in uncharacteristic rage, flicking his sword so quickly that no one else even noticed the movement. He landed a lateral slash across Tania's abdomen. She gasped in pain, stepping backwards.

"There you go! Show that bitch!" Alexis' voice cracked. Bastion's head was swimming. It was true, she had been distracting him. He was thinking too much, and his mind turned to her scent, her body… he completely forgot about strategy for one moment, and he paid for it when she blasted him with the Cero. "Good! Don't think, do!" She shouted in ecstasy.

Bastion's heartbeat sounded loudly in his head. "No, calm down, Bastion. You can win if you play your cards right. I only hope that I won't be backed into a corner again…" The fire in Bastion's eyes died, and he seemed to be back to his usual self.

"**Tokubetsu Kido: Byakurai Kenjutsu** (Special Kido: White Lightning Sword Style)!" The flowing white light of the Byakurai kido wrapped around Bastion's sword, causing the blade's surface area to drastically increase.

Tania was visibly frustrated. "Back to using your flashy spells? That won't get you anywhere with me!" Bastion flicked his wrist upwards, causing the ivory-colored sword to quickly wave across the floor, cutting a deep gash into the ground. Tania had to jump to the side to dodge. Bastion kept on the offensive, furiously swinging.

"What in the world is that?" Jaden shouted in awe. Crowler slowly nodded his head. "Misawa has always been a bright boy with too much time and money on his hands. I have no doubt that he created that spell himself, perhaps with the assistance of a research and development team."

"Hey, doesn't that look like what you did in your fight against him, Jaden? Wrapping your fire around your Zanpakuto?" Syrus asked.

"Maybe that's where he got the idea…" Alexis, too, was impressed by her friend's achievement. "He might still be in this fight."

Bastion's sword left white trails of energy as he chased after Tania. He could feel his muscles pushing harder and harder, sweat rolling down his body. To his displeasure, Tania was easily keeping up with him. Indeed, as soon as he thought he would hit her, she grabbed the blade between her palms. He poured all of his energy into the sword, hoping to push past her defense.

His work seemed to be paying off, as Tania actually seemed to be struggling for the first time in the entire fight. She grit her teeth, he muscles bulging for a moment before jerking Bastion's blade to the side with an enormous effort. All of Bastion's momentum was now working against him as he flew to the ground face first. Before he fell, however, Tania's index finger touched his forehead, halting his movement completely.

She quietly and slowly forced him into an upright stand, her finger still on his forehead. Bastion felt immobilized, as though he could do nothing but watch her stunning features. "Wait, did I just call her "stunning"? What on earth is happening to me?"

Tania wore a feral smirk. "Like putty in my hands." She punched him in the face, causing him to become reacquainted to the dirt as he was pounded into the ground.

"You're still just a boy."

Bastion struggled to one knee. "I…am not…a boy!" He wheezed.

"She is going down!" Jaden released his shikai and vaulted from the stands before anyone could stop him. While Jaden definitely wanted to help his friend, he too, was looking for redemption in this fight. He wanted to see if he could truly battle a Seven Star General without the help of his friends.

"You see? What kind of man lets his friends fight his battles? Pathetic!" Tania pointed at Jaden, seemingly unconcerned about his imminent approach.

Bastion held his sword in front of him. "_I won't let her degrade me like this! I wanted to hide it, but this disgrace is too much to bear!_" He thought.

"**BANKAI**!"

The shout was loud, clear, and full of rage. The surprise was immediate; Jaden, who was running towards Tania, tripped and fell. Tania's smile stretched from ear to ear. Alexis cried in glee, while Chazz looked angrier than ever. Crowler and Banner were agape on shock.

Bastion's reishi was flowing out in a dull orange wave. "**Ryukyu Kotomaru** (Dragon-Seeking Tiger Culler)!" Bastion's sword had become much shorter, and wider as well; compared to the slender rapier he held before, it now looked like a bludgeon. Kotomaru's orange barrier had disappeared.

"Bastion! Bro! When did you learn how to Bankai?" Jaden hollered.

"I was hiding it the entire time, Jaden. You see, it's just like you said; sometimes it pays to be underestimated. If it was ever revealed to the teachers that I possess a Bankai, more responsibilities would be placed upon me, distracting me from my homework business."

"Wait, what did he just say?" Crowler snapped. "He said it would distract him from his pet shelter business!" Syrus blurted, a little too quickly. "Oh. How noble, to care for lost animals." Crowler said appreciatively.

"Frankly, I was hoping to unveil it the next time I fought you, Jaden." Bastion rubbed the back of his head.

Jaden laughed. "Damn, this is just like when I accidentally discovered my parents were planning a surprise birthday party for me when I was seven. Tell you what, in exchange for spoiling me of this, how about you beat this bitch into the dirt?" Jaden said coyly.

"Gladly, my uncultured slob."

"Are you done with your posturing yet, or do you want to continue with this garbage for even longer?"Tania drawled. "Fine! Let's go, then, you mewling quim!" Bastion shouted. Tania ran at Bastion, who looked significantly more confident than before. Her fist collided with Bastion's sword, causing a deep "THUUM" to sound across the arena.

Tania recoiled, clutching her wrist in pain. "Ouch! That sword, it's much tougher than before!"

"Too right. This is the ultimate defensive weapon. You won't break it with a mere punch. This blade holds all of my Koen's defensive power!" Suddenly, an orange point of light glowed on the end of Bastion's sword.

He ran laterally, the cream-orange light trailing behind him slightly, forming a Koen barrier instantaneously. Tania noticed it, but not quickly enough to get a head start on Bastion. The aegis was only about four feet high, so Tania was able to hop over it fairly easily. She vaulted over the barrier and leapt at Bastion, but another shield had already been erected in front of her.

Growling, she began to pour all of her energy into her speed, hoping to catch Bastion off guard. She used Sonido, and appeared directly behind Bastion, her fist millimeters from the back of his head. To her and everyone else's shock, Bastion seemed to disappear. "That wasn't flash step! What is he doing?" Tania shouted.

Bastion's body suddenly melted from another one of his ocher walls, as though he were emerging from a pool of water. "Woah, am I tripping?" Jaden said. "Probably, but that wasn't a drug-induced hallucination at all. Bastion was able to move instantaneously without the use of flash step!" Crowler noted.

"I'm sure you're curious, my dear. The truth is, when I say Ryukyu Kotomaru is the ultimate defensive weapon, I mean much more than mere gesticulation. Any Koen barrier I create with this Bankai will stay here as long as I will it so. While these are impassable walls to you, they are passageways, portals even, to me. I can move between two of my barriers at will. I will never get hit again in this fight."

"Wow, Bastion's amazing!" Syrus gushed. "Alright, don't hype him up too much." Chazz muttered. "Now, this is interesting!" Tania said in a husky purr.

"Hado #33, Sokatsui!" Bastion shot the blue fireball into the barrier. While it seemed to ineffectually collide with the Koen barrier at first, it soon passed through the wall just like Bastion did. Before Tania could react, the spell hit in the back and sent her flying.

"My kido can pass though them as well. Isn't that lovely?" Bastion smirked. Tania quickly rebounded, but she was clearly injured.

"A cheap trick!"

"I'm so sorry, but I'm afraid that honor means little in a fight for me."

"Just like a man, willing to take advantage of every possible opportunity. Have you no shame?"

"Oh shut up, Hollow. Your words are nothing but straw feminist babble and buzzwords. I'm done listening to you talk. Now, unless you are interested in leaving peacefully, it's time for you to die." Bastion waved his sword dramatically as he laid out his ultimatum. However, a blush still stained his pale cheeks.

Bastion jumped, flying upwards over his defensive wall. Tania met him in midair, only for Bastion to swoop above her with a rigorously practiced flash step. To her great surprise, Bastion threw his heavy sword at her. She was able to easily dodge the telegraphed move. "Fool!" She barked.

Bastion fell, aiming to kick Tania in the face. She blocked it by crossing her elbows. She then backflipped in midair, swiftly flowing into a bicycle kick. Bastion was able to catch her foot moments before it hit his chin. He then spun her around helplessly by the leg before tossing her towards the ground.

Chazz facepalmed when Bastion threw his sword. "What does that fool think he's doing? It's clear that she's got him wrapped around her finger in more ways than one!" He snarled contemptuously. "I wouldn't be so quick to judge, Chazz. Look at where he threw his sword." Banner spoke up. Everyone saw that Bastion's blade was headed straight for one of his Bankai portal barriers, and was about to pass through it.

Tania laughed. "Now, I'm getting a little warmed up! You're not bad, for a young buck!" Bastion did not react to her words, but quickly conjured up a portal behind him. He smirked before ducking. His sword had passed through the portal on the ground and had just passed though the gate Bastion had just conjured. During its descent, the blade had gained both velocity and momentum, and Tania was briefly flabbergasted. However, she was able to dodge at the last second with only a cut on her cheek.

"That was too close!" In her moment of panic, she lost track of Bastion's reiatsu, and that was all he needed. He flash stepped behind her and pierced her though the back with Hado #11, Tzuzuri Raiden. Tania coughed up blood, and fell to one knee on the ground.

Bastion's eyes were colder than ever, and yet that blush remained. He approached her, as though conflicted. "Give up and leave. This has been an unrewarding waste of time. This fight has served no purpose! It's merely been a fight for the sake of a fight."

Tania laughed, blood gargling in her throat. "You still don't understand, do you!? This fight has served more purpose than some laboratory scientist like you could ever understand! This battlefield is where the Human and the Hollow become one and the same, where our two species can truly understand each other!"

Something in Jaden stirred. "**Perhaps she is right."**

Jaden convulsed, reinforcing the mental barriers he had placed between himself and the monster within him, the Supreme King. Alexis noticed his jerkish movement, and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you OK? She whispered softly. Jaden always felt shocked whenever Alexis let down her dry, cool demeanor around him.

"Yeah, I'm good. It's just that the sushi at the dorm this morning was probably bad." She laughed, tossing aside any serious concerns. "I see. You'll just have to eat the fish we'll be catching later instead." "You're damn right. By the way, nice double entendre."

Chazz, who was folding his arms, felt his knuckles whiten.

"I am nothing like you. All I do is for science and profit; my actions always have visible results. I am ruled by reason, rationality. I'm sure a beast like you would have no idea what I'm talking about." He condemned her.

"That may be, but I have one thing you don't; heart, and passion! Something I'm sure _you_ wouldn't understand!" From out of nowhere, she drew a large hunting knife. "**Inore, Tigre Estoque** (Hunt, Tiger Fang Swift Wind)!"

A torrent of spiritual power tore through the arena, creating tremendous gusts of wind in the arena. Bastion was barely able to hold his ground, his feet braced in place. Tania's appearance changed drastically, now greater resembling the tiger namesake of her Zanpakuto. Her feet had changed to feline paws, short claws protruding from them. Her hands, while retaining human shape, now had deadly claws extending from he fingernail area. Tania's hair had become much more long and flowing, reaching down to her waist. An armored leotard covered her body, golden in color. She was hunched over in a predatory stance, and Bastion could see her pupils had become slits.

"Are you ready for me now?" She hissed. Bastion huffed. While he still stood with a sword in his hand, in his mind, he was already defeated. He had used most of his energy on his Bankai, which he still had less control over than he'd like. The rest of his reserves were used on his kido. Bastion knew how to fight opponents who specialized in close-quarters combat, or least he thought he did. In reality, he had lost to Jaden, and now to Tania, who were both brawlers. He felt his pride, his confidence slowly slip away into despair. He always tried to fight using hard logic and calm efficiency, but that was failing him now.

"If I'm not strong enough to save my pride, then perhaps I should just die…" His Bankai disappeared, his barriers melting into nothingness. Tania looked disappointed.

"Bastion, don't give up!" Jaden yelled.

"It's too late. Your pathetic friend was at my mercy the moment I chose to fight him. For all of his pretentious boasts and flashy spells, I won using nothing but my bare fists and intimidation." As if to prove her point, Bastion's sword, returned to its base form, had fallen between his fingers and landed on the ground. He stared resolutely at the ground, clearly feeling immense shame.

"So this is the best the Human World has to offer? Perhaps I should simply kill this piece of garbage!" Tania stalked towards him. "Another broken man…" She whispered. However, her slow walk was interrupted.

Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, Alexis, Banner, and Crowler all stood between Tania and Bastion.

"Well, look at this. Tribesmen standing together. Standing up for your friend is indeed admirable. However, I thought you agreed not to interfere in this fight."

"This fight is over." Chazz's raspy voice seemed much louder than usual. He had not risen to defend Bastion with the rest of them. "You have defeated that pathetic excuse for a warrior in every way. You shouldn't feel too proud of yourself, though. He is not worthy of the Obelisk Blue mantle like I am." The other key keepers scowled at Chazz's vindictive comments.

"I don't see your Obelisk Blue jacket." was all she said. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I'll be taking your friend. There is much snu-snu to be had, after all."

"Wait." Jaden said.

Tania let out a catty growl that set Jaden's teeth on edge. "I want you to come back and fight me, tomorrow. If you beat me, then you can have my key and Bastion." Jaden said boldly. "I really wanna see what you're made of, lady." Their smiles were identical; wild, confident, and predatory.

"You've piqued my interest, kid. I suppose I can wait one more day. Keep in mind, whether I get Misawa or not decides the future of my clan. The fate of the Amazons will be determined by this battle. I can hardly wait!" she said darkly.

"Hey, that's really cool and everything, but I don't care. See ya tomorrow!" Jaden said cheerfully as he started to fly away.

"Wait, boy. As you know, since I won this battle, the key keeper must hand over the key." "Oh, yeah, right. Take it if you want, we have like four more of those. Honestly, I bet whatever's in that stupid box Sheppard has isn't even worth it." Tania was not bothered in the slightest by Jaden's words; she knew they were really just overconfident blustering. Her master knew what was in that treasure box, and it was worth much more than anything she could imagine.

"Tomorrow, at 9. I'll be waiting, boy." She Sonido'd away.

Jaden and Chumley supported Bastion as the group made its way out of the arena. "I guess I'll have to keep you waiting one more day, Lex." Jaden said apologetically.

"It's not like I'd be upset over something like this. I hope you give me a good show by beating her." She replied.

"Hey, Yuki! What the hell was that?" Chazz stormed over to them.

"What now?" Jaden grumbled. "Yuki, I thought I said that I was going to fight her!"

"When did you ever say that?" Jaden said tiredly. "Besides, this isn't about you. Bastion nearly got subjected to a day of snu-snu with…_her_."

"Then he should have accepted his punishment for losing! The way he fought was absolutely pathetic! Misawa, after humiliating me and taking my rank, makes such a big show about hiding that Bankai of his, and FOR WHAT!? For all the good it did him, he might as well have kept it secret!"

Bastion said nothing in his own defense. Jaden looked darkly at Chazz. "You're starting to piss me off. Why do have say those kinds of things? They don't help anyone!"

Chazz got up in Jaden's face. They stared at each other for a second, before Chazz turned away. "I hope you bail your friend out this time, Yuki. But when my time comes, I'm gonna show you both how much I've improved!"

"Ok, cool. Please stop invading my personal space."

Jaden and Chumley escorted Bastion back to his dorm room, Bastion refusing Alexis' offer of healing kido. Following his friend's instructions, Jaden found Bastion's bedroom. As he and Chumley originally thought, Bastion's sleeping chambers were as fancifully decorated as the rest of his dorm room.

"I'm fine from here, lads. I'd prefer some time alone, to be honest." Bastion sat down on the edge of his mattress, looking very tired.

"Alright, man. I hope you'll show up tomorrow, though."

"Why?" Both Bastion and Chumley said at the same time.

"I'm not doing this just for shits and giggles, although that is a contributing factor. I won't let you hide your face from Tania in defeat. You gotta have some pride, man!"

Bastion nodded. "I never thought otherwise, of course I'll be there." "Good." With that, Jaden and Chumley left. Bastion laid back onto his pillow, his eyes staring at the ceiling above.

Jaden and Chumley walked back to the dorm slowly, mostly because Chumley was tired due to not eating a sandwich in the past two hours. "Well, after we feast on some glorious grilled cheese, what are you gonna do to prepare for the fight tomorrow?" Chumley huffed.

"The same thing I always do, Chum." Jaden replied without looking at Chumley. "Blaze up?" "You're darn tootin'."

In a dark cave, the remaining Seven Star Generals met, their reiatsu untraceable due to Bakudo #2, Fukashi. Tania was genuflecting in front of her master, a scowl on her lips. She hated being subservient to him. However, her life was indebted to the man, and she had to fufill her end of the bargain if she wished to revive the Amazon race.

"Very good work, my dear General Tania." A raspy, old sounding voice said in appreciation. "I am so glad to have such good friends by my side." He said.

Tania audibly scoffed. "Master, one of the key keepers has challenged me personally. At 9 tomorrow, I must travel back to the island. I beg this favor, sir." She grit her teeth.

"Of course, my child. Make sure to take his key, then whatever else you wish to do with him is your choice." Tania stood. "Thank you, master." The other Generals looked on, silently.

At 8:45 AM the next morning, The Key Keepers (plus Syrus and Chumley) gathered in the stadium once more. "Man, that makes two days I've had to get up early. I need my beauty sleep!" Jaden whined.

"If this is how you look with your beauty sleep, I'd really hate to see you without it." Banner chirped.

"Fuck you, Professor."

Bastion, who normally would partake in the group's favorite hobby of roasting Jaden, hung back, looking sullen and melancholy. He was not wearing his Obelisk Blue uniform, instead wearing a grey T-shirt and jeans, as though he was trying to look as inconspicuous as possible.

"So, where is she? Kinda weird that we would get to her own arena before she did." Alexis said with her arms crossed. "Indeed, it is unbecoming of a host. I'm sure the harlot will announce her presence soon enough." Crowler snorted.

"That's right!" A loud screech sounded from above.

Tania seemed to be falling from the sky itself, landing on the ground in a three-point stance. Disconcertingly, she was already in Resurreccion, her tail swaying in a playful manner. Her fangs were bared, and she was staring directly at Jaden. Bastion was looking away, clearly filled with shame.

"Woah, you wanna get right to the dirty business, huh?" Jaden raised an eyebrow. "That's right, boy. I hope you're getting the hint."

"Yeah, I think so. Bankai!" The sudden flare of reiatsu from Jaden threw everyone else off balance. Pitch-black energy exploded from Jaden's body, and the unprepared key keepers were flung into the air. They quickly righted themselves in midair, and flashed over to the bleachers, where they were able to watch the fight at a safe distance.

"Wow, Jaden's gotten stronger! I can feel it!" Syrus exclaimed. "How? I know for a fact that the fool never trains!" Chazz snarled. "It's as though his reiatsu base accumulates naturally…. I've never heard of anything like it." Alexis muttered. Jaden's eyes turned gold, and a heavy black armored glove covered his right hand.

"So, I take it you want to skip the warm-up?" Jaden's voice had a slight, but noticeable edge to it. Tania looked into his eyes, and seemed to recognize something. "Yeah, that's right. This might be more interesting than I thought…"

"Excuse me, Syrus?! Can you come down here please?" Jaden asked. Syrus jumped to his feet and hustled down to his best friend. "What are you doing?" Tania said in alarm.

"What is he doing?" Bastion said in exasperation.

"Could you hold my sword for me, Syrus?" Jaden said politely. "Um, sure, but why?" Syrus trembled. "Tania! You degraded a member of my crew, and you're gonna get repaid in kind! I'm gonna beat you at your own game, and that means I'm going to fight you hand-to-hand!"

Tania licked her lips. "My, what a brave and idiotic man you are."

"Don't be a fool, Jaden! You're practically asking for snu-snu!" Alexis shouted in indignation. "She's right, this is a bad idea!" Syrus exclaimed in worry.

"I never asked for your opinion!" Jaden was suddenly shouting. Syrus retreated in fear, paralyzed by Jaden's piercing golden irises.

"Yeah, sorry." The blunette scampered back into the stands, holding Jaden's blade in shaking hands.

"I'm gonna enjoy watching the idiot get ripped apart." Chazz leered. Crowler and Alexis looked as though they were distinctly unimpressed with Jaden's behavior.

_"I'm sorry, Sy, but I have to look as threatening as possible. The only way to beat this chick is through intimidation!"_

** "**Let's go!" No sooner than when he said those words had Tania already bore down on him with a punch cocked back, aimed at his head. Jaden dodged to the side and grabbed her arm. With a heave, he had thrown her a few feet away. She landed in a four-point stance, looking ferocious. Using Sonido, she flashed in front of Jaden again, this time landing a punch directly to his face.

Jaden was launched back, but was able to halt his momentum through wind manipulation. Tania chased after him relentlessly, and they exchanged blows. Jaden ducked and landed a knee in her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. He knew he had to use the few seconds he had to the fullest.

"**Gokkakyu**!" He launched a stream of flame from his mouth, completely engulfing the female hollow.

"Nice shot!" Bastion shouted. When the smoke had cleared, Tania's skin was blistered, smoking, and red.

"And before you can ask, I can grill some mean burgers too." Jaden remarked.

"Amazing, that your elemental techniques are this powerful, even without channeling your reiatsu through a sword…you wouldn't make a bad amazon, kid. However, it's gonna take more than a measly fire to beat me." With that, the burns seemed to slowly shrink and disappear, her skin returning to its normally smooth consistency.

Jaden was as cool as a cucumber. "Alrighty then."

"That must be her Resurreccion's special ability. High-speed regeneration. It's going to be almost impossible to beat in purely physical combat." Bastion quickly formulated.

"It seems as though most of these Hollows gain animalistic qualities when they transform. Nightshroud gained a scaly armor, while Camula grew bat wings. It usually gave us some clue as to what their abilities were, too. I don't get regeneration from a tiger, though." Syrus said.

"She's the ultimate brawler, so it makes sense that would able to take some punishment." Banner said in relaxed manner.

Without any further explanation of her mysterious power, Tania aimed a heavy kick at Jaden's neck. He dived to the ground, going into a rolling somersault. She tried to step on her prone opponent, but to her surprise, the ground began to shake underneath her feet.

"**Eiyu no Hoshi**: **Keijugan** (Hero of the Stars: Lightweight Rock)!" Jaden snarled. A pillar of earth rose from under Tania's feet, sending her launching into the air. With a loud snapping noise, Jaden propelled himself into the air by forming a wind current underneath his feet.

He shot above the reeling Tania, flipping forward to gain momentum for a drop kick. Just as it looked like he was about to send the Hollow flying again, she regained her bearings and blocked the kick with her shoulder, causing Jaden to be thrown off course. Tania punched Jaden in the gut, than barraged him with a continuous assault of kicks. The pointed claws on her feet pierced easily through Jaden's skin, causing him to hiss in pain.

Jaden fell to the dirt, clutching the burning areas where Tania's claws had stabbed him. She knelt in front of him, paw poised in front of face.

"What a pathetic excuse for a Bankai. I thought you were going to give me a better fight than your friend! You Duel Academy boys don't impress me much!" She taunted. Jaden's eyes flashed with annoyance.

Alexis, to the surprise of the rest of the group, laughed. "What? She's kinda right." Chazz nodded. "I agree." "Shut up, Chazz." Everyone, including Alexis, said.

"I thought I already told you, lady. I don't care if you're some great amazon warrior. You don't get to roast my crew in front of me and get away with it! I'm not doing this for me, although fighting you is fun. I'm doing this because you humiliated my friend Bastion Misawa! Now get ready to feel some good-old fashioned vengeance!" Jaden's dark reiatsu flared, six spheres of water forming in midair.

"**Suidan** (Water Bullets)!" He shot the balls of water towards the feline hollow, who looked less than worried about the attack.

"Most impressive! It seems that Jaden has begun to progress with his water techniques!" Banner said with actual pride.

"Not only that, but he's been able to weaponize them as well. Attacking with only water is completely nonthreatening, but Jaden has circumvented that. And to think, he's doing this all for me…" Bastion muttered.

"His Daitoppen technique. He was able to form a high-pressure wind around his sword during his fight with me. It make sense he would be able to apply it to other objects." Chazz bit the inside of his cheek.

The water bullets made a telltale whirring noise as they were slung through the air, and Tania's eyes widened as she rolled out of the way. It was good for her that she did. The water drop collided with the ground and kept on going, cutting a deep gash into the ground.

"If that thing hit me, I would have been sliced in two!" Tania was forced to use Sonido in rapid succession to avoid the next four blasts.

"Now that's what I'm talking about-" Tania was about to voice her enjoyment of the battle, only to suddenly pause. She felt cold black spirit energy wash over her. She turned around, only to see a shining golden eye meet her own.

Jaden held his final water bullet in his hand, wind energy rolling off of it in sharp green waves.

"Say goodnight!" A high-pitched, cold voice said as the water bullet outstretched from Jaden's hand. Tania held her right arm out, avoiding a fatal blow by sacrificing her right arm, which was completely obliterated by the water.

"Woah, now that's a solid hit! There's no way that she can regenerate an entire arm, can she?" Syrus gushed, in blatant admiration of his best friend. Tania fell to one knee, blood gushing from the remaining stump of her arm. Jaden was breathing with great difficulty.

"I never thought that combining two elements would cost so much of my reiatsu…" Jaden said aloud.

"Did you seriously just make that up on the spot?" Alexis yelled from the stands.

"Yeah, and it worked! So therefore, I win!" Jaden yelled right back, albeit with a cheeky smile plastered on his face.

"Not bad, key keeper. That was a good move….but it won't be enough!" Tania let out a guttural growl. Suddenly, her arm grew back, the skin, muscle, and bone stitching itself together as though it were nothing but a piece of torn clothing.

_"Damn, that cost a lot of energy. But it's not like I'm winning with only one arm. Not if I'm fighting who I think I am."_ Tania's mind fixated on Jaden's black armored glove and golden eyes.

"You're no ordinary human, I can tell that right away. But frankly, I don't care whether you're a human or a hollow. All I care about is this moment. The sweat, the blood, the tears… this is a glorious battle!" Tania then ran towards Jaden, both fighters looking battle-worn. Tania threw a right hook, caught by Jaden's gloved hand. Jaden threw his free hand at her face, but she caught the blow with her other hand as well, leaving both fighters in a lock.

They struggled for leverage, each fighter's feet digging deeper and deeper into the ground. Black energy spiraled from Jaden's hands, golden power leaking from Tania's. Tania suddenly head-butted Jaden, the boy reeling backwards, clutching his bleeding forehead. She flowed into a low kick, Jaden easily jumping over it with the assistance of his wind. He kicked Tania in the face, causing her to fly backwards. She deftly back flipped to halt her momentum.

Jaden's body began to glow red; a crimson aura flared around him, signaling the activation of the Streaking Comet technique. Tania Jaden flew at each other in midair, exchanging blows far too quickly for most of the spectators to see. Only Alexis and Chazz were able to track their movements.

"Never before have I seen two people fight with such zeal!" Crowler commented. After a lengthy brawl, Jaden was finally able to land a solid punch into her gut. He then grabbed her shoulders, and threw her into the ground.

"This is it! This final attack proves who the better warrior is! **Eiyu no Hoshi:** **Goryuuka **(Great Dragon Flame)!" Jaden's final reserves of reiatsu compressed momentarily, before being released from his mouth as a dragon-head shaped fireball. The majestic dragon slammed into the crater where Tania lied, causing a smoking explosion.

In the epicenter of the blast, Tania was lying on the ground, gasping and panting for breath. Her extreme burns and wounds from the dragon fire were regenerating slowly. Jaden hovered down to the ground, his eyes returning to their normal hue.

"Gotcha! That's teach you, ya crazy lesbian!" Jaden exclaimed. Tania struggled to her feet, her burnt skin smoking and charring.

"Now that's how you fight with passion, key keeper. You have proven me unworthy. As per our deal, I'll leave."

"Wow, an enemy that actually upholds their end of the bargain? What's next?" Jaden joked.

"However, don't get it twisted. I will restore my clan one day, even without your friend Bastion's help. I'll do it even without your help, my Supreme King."

Suddenly, Tania underwent another transformation. Fur grew from her skin, and her facial features became even more feline, until she had finally taken the form of a white tiger, a gruesome scar over her right eye. The tiger bounded from the arena silently.

"Wait, what? She was a tiger?" Jaden face-faulted.

"A full-on animal transformation? Unusual, even for a hollow." Banner stated.

"Wow Bastion, you sure know how to pick 'em." Chazz clapped a hand on the embarrassed Obelisk.

"Oh, don't worry about it. After all, there are plenty of fish in the sea." Jaden joked. "That may be, but I doubt there are too many tigers." Bastion said, a hint of his old dryness returning. He looked significantly at Jaden.

"Thank you for fighting on my behalf, Jaden. You truly are a good friend. Is there anything I could do to repay you?" Jaden just smiled. "No problem, man, just keep on being you, and don't let anyone tell you different." The companions walked out of the arena, each wondering what they were going to do with a gladiator arena on campus.

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the fifteenth chapter of Kids With Swords!**

**Long chapter this week, but I wanted to include both Bastion's and Jaden's fight with the ferocious Tania, who has definitely been my favorite villain to write so far. I toyed with the idea of Bastion somehow winning against Tania here, but I believe it will be better for his and Jaden's character development in the long run if he loses here.**

**At the same time, Bastion's Bankai is extremely versatile. He will be getting a few extra fights in the fic compared to canon as well, so he will be getting plenty of chances to show it off as well!**

**Summer's here :) Haha, stay beautiful people!**


	16. DETECTIVE CHAZZ

**Warning: This chapter features more intense violence and delves into heavier themes than the previous chapters did. I'm sure none of you reading this need the warning, but it's simply good form to do so.**

_"Man is more disposed to cruelty than courtesy."_

"Oh, Jaden, it's so huge!" "That's right, and it's all for you, Alexis."

"This is quite a large fish, and I've already caught my share, so you can have it." Jaden tossed the fish into a net with the other catches of the day.

"We can cook that one at the bonfire tonight." Alexis chirped as she drank from a bottled water.

'Totally!" Jaden had a huge, dumb smile on his face during the entire two-hour fishing expedition he shared with Alexis. They had caught a variety of wild fish, but what Jaden would remember was not what they would be eating later.

Rather, it would be moments like when she told him about the good times she used to share with her brother when she was a child. It would be when he put a bait worm in her hair, and she responded by slapping him across the face with a fish. It would the cream-orange sun rising behind them as they sat in silence. It was a wonderful morning.

At roughly the same time Jaden and Alexis had set out to go fishing, Chazz had woken up as per his usual routine. He threw on a pair of sweatpants with no shirt and went for his usual morning two-mile run. He relished when he would pass by students going to school early, as they usually gaped at his lack of modesty.

After his run, he would engage in swordsmanship katas for another hour or so before going to sleep for about four hours. He then usually read a book or played a video game in his afternoons, now that he no longer had to go to school due to his "duties" as a key keeper. It was a very dull existence for him.

While Chazz was taking a lap near the beach, he saw a small canoe docked near the shore, with two figures exiting the craft, one of them carrying a large net of what appeared to be fish. _"I hope those aren't the two people I think they are…"_ He increased his pace, and avoided eye contact with them.

"Chazz! What's up buddy!" Chazz jumped; Jaden's voice was uncomfortably close. When he turned his head, he saw that Jaden was running next to him, his fishing net jangling by his side. Chazz sweat dropped, and immediately stopped running.

"Just my morning training." He said in a clipped voice.

"Hmm. Training. Personally, I prefer to get stronger by getting power-ups from my creepy Zanpakuto spirit mid-fight. But hey, whatever floats your boat, bud!

Alexis slowly strutted up to him, and Chazz wished, more than ever, to be locked in his room, away from the two people that caused him almost instantaneous headaches, albeit for very different reasons. "Well, at least your training seems to be paying off. I don't remember you ever going for runs before now." Chazz blushed as she gave him a once-over. He bent down to check his already-tied shoelace so as to hide his anxiousness.

"Yeah, bro, you're looking good! Just don't go working yourself too hard now, alright? Why don't you come to the bonfire tonight? We're gonna be cooking some fish, and baking….cake." Jaden trailed off.

"I'm not interested in parties. Now quit interfering with my training." With that, Chazz flash stepped away, despite his earlier claim that he was going for a run.

"I detected less malice in that than usual." Jaden said cheerily.

"I wouldn't call that a sign of progress, but you are an optimist, aren't you Jaden?" Alexis sighed. "You realize that he is training out of my mind for the sole purpose of defeating you, and you literally sit on your ass all day? Aren't you worried at all that he may try to kill you? He doesn't seem like he's all there." She reasoned.

"I am not concerned about any of that in the least. Chazz is my friend." Jaden said simply.

"We've waited for this day for a long time, and now, it's finally here." A squirrely young voice chirped out to his compatriots.

"Indeed. Everything has fallen into place." Another voice growled. A knife gleamed in the darkness.

"We'll enact the plan when the boss arrives. Nothing can stop the Dark Scorpions now!"

"We are roughly 20 minutes out from Academy Island, detective." A small tugboat made its way towards the large island. "Excellent, thank you for your good work, captain."

A few hours after his fishing trip with Alexis and the impromptu encounter with Chazz, Jaden received another one of Professor Banner's unnerving text messages. Jaden shivered as soon as he saw his dorm headmaster's name in his message box. The enigmatic teacher had been acting even more strangely than usual. Jaden couldn't remember the last time he saw him eat, even though Banner made it a point to sit with the Slifer students at mealtimes. He was equally sure that Banner never slept, or at least not in the dorm.

However, any theories Jaden had about his odd teacher were put in the back of his mind by the contents of the message;

_"Jaden, Alexis, and Chazz. As key keepers, Headmaster Sheppard has ordered us to meet with a private detective. Apparently the purpose of the meeting is to employ preemptive countermeasures against the remaining keys getting stolen, presumably by this detective analyzing the forensic behavior of the Seven Star Generals. Sheppard himself does not sound too pleased. Please come to Hallway 1A as soon as possible."_

"This has to be the most ridiculous stunt we've pulled yet." Alexis stated dully. She, Jaden, Banner, and Chazz were all standing in the middle of the hallway in what had to be the most awkward silence ever.

"I agree. What purpose could there possibly be behind hiring a private detective who doesn't even have a Zanpakuto?" Chazz snarled.

"Just chill, bro. This could be fun, meeting a real-life gumshoe! I used to love watching CSI: Miami, especially when that one guy put on sunglasses and shouted, "YEAHHHHHH" before they cut to commercial break." Jaden's unfailingly sunny disposition caused Chazz to instinctively grip the handle of his sword, which was sheathed in plain sight at the side of his hip.

Luckily, the detective arrived soon. Jaden, Chazz, and Alexis were rather taken aback by his appearance. If Banner was at all surprised, he hid it well. The man's outward appearance was seemingly normal, his bulky form clothed in a gray three-piece suit. However, his right eye was covered by a bronze eyepatch, silver hair falling over his face. A furry brown cap flopped as he walked.

"Ahem, you must be the private detective." Banner said in his most diplomatic voice. "Indeed, children. It is I, detective Zaloog, at your service." Zaloog spoke in a completely unique way. His voice was off-rhythm compared to a normal speaking cadence, and he took pauses of varying length between his sentences.

"Now then, let us get down to the business. You see, your headmaster has informed me of the situation." The others were glad that the detective seemed professional, at least concerning the inherent strangeness of beings like hollows. While Hollows were known to the general populous, like Zanpakuto, people tended to react with fear whenever they actually to deal with them.

"I understand that it is imperative you hold onto those keys you have at all costs, especially considering that you have lost three of the seven already."

Jaden bristled. "We didn't lose them. They were entrusted to some of the most powerful warriors at our school. It just so happens that the opponents we're facing are that good." He corrected.

"Of course, I didn't mean to offend. However, I must know, before we proceed. Where do you currently keep your keys?"

"Well, I keep mine around my neck." Alexis said. "I figure that's where it would be safest." "Yeah, same here." Jaden echoed.

"Seriously, isn't it a fine idea to just keep them with us at all times?! That way, those hollows will have to go through us to get them!" Chazz interjected loudly.

"Well, I keep mine in the staffroom, inside the safe." Banner murmured.

"An excellent idea, Professor Banner. You see, while I understand your reasoning, I find the Professor's idea to be the most sound. If you hide your keys somewhere, then these creatures won't be able to find them, even if they kill you." The detective said, nonplussed.

"Oh, really? You think those Seven Star punks would be able to beat me? You clearly have no idea how strong I am!" Chazz hissed.

"It is simply a precaution, but if you don't want to heed my professional advice, then I suppose I can't force you." Jaden and Alexis were impressed at how courteously Zaloog was handling Chazz's delusional rants.

"Chazz kinda has a point, though. There's no way one of those hollows could beat the three of us! And Banner's kinda strong too, although I've never seen him fight. He's a creepy dude, though." Jaden replied.

"Very well, then. Ultimately, you are responsible for your own personal safety. Alexis, will you hide your key?" Zaloog was dry and professional, which the key keepers weren't expecting, considering the crazy personalities they had come across in the last year. It was refreshing for them.

"I suppose I could hide it in my jewelry box…" She said warily.

"Good girl! I'm sure it will be safe there. Now then, I suppose this meeting is over. Make sure to keep those keys safe, I would hate to turn in a bad police report!"

"Jaden, why didn't you just do what the nice detective said like a good boy?" Syrus said as he rubbed his temples.

"Whatever, I'm not gonna let some suit like him tell me what to do. For goodness' sake, I'm not gonna be caught in a fight with those Generals without backup, and you guys are going to sleeping in the same room as me! There's no way anything could possibly go wrong! Now then, let's go blaze for a bit before the party at the Obelisk dorm tonight." Jaden said cheerily.

Alexis, with great care, took the key off of her neck and placed it in a small wooden box where she kept her earrings and other various ornaments. Unfortunately, her door was unlocked. The Obelisk ice queen nearly jumped out of her skin as the doorway burst open.

"Oh, excuse me! This must be the wrong room!" A gargantuan bald man wearing a blue oversuit barged into the room. "That's quite alright, janitor." Alexis moved instinctively in front of her jewelry box. The burly man quickly turned around and slammed the door. Alexis gazed at the doorknob for a moment before turning away.

Chazz stomped on the balcony of the Slifer Red dorm, dust flying everywhere with each step. "Get the hell out of my way, squeaker!" He shoved a diminutive blond-haired slifer student out of his path. Chazz was going to train extra hard today.

Banner enjoyed his afternoon tea in the Duel Academy staff office, occasionally glancing over to the iron safe underneath the coffee machine. He polished off his cup, the left the room, passing by a lanky, spectacled security officer. "Good afternoon, Cliff The Security Guard." Banner said in his usual leery manner. _"I'm sure my key will be extra safe with him around!"_ Banner thought.

That night, a huge bash was thrown at the Obelisk boys dorm, Crowler always ignoring his favored students rather unsavory after-school activities as long as their grades were good. The bass was bumping, and a cloud of smoke hung in the air. Jaden was at the center of the dance floor, making good use of the breakdancing lessons he begged his mother to buy for him when he was ten.

He was grinding against a rather provocative specimen he had encountered. A pale-skinned brunette with cold brown eyes and cherry red lipstick immediately grabbed Jaden's attention as he got onto the dance floor. She wore skin-tight leather pants and a black corset with a vest. Soon, Jaden brought her back to his dorm room, Syrus and Chumley sleeping over at Bastion's like he asked. It was a good night.

However, when Jaden woke up, the girl was gone, and so was the key Sheppard gave him! After a frantic search around the dorm room, he decided to call Alexis, despite the fact that she would surely ridicule him. "Um, I lost my key last night at the party. Was it on the dance floor?" he slurred, a hangover beginning to rear its ugly head.

"Never mind that, my key is missing too! I locked it in my jewelry box! There's no way anyone besides us knew where it was!" She was panicky, practically hyperventilating.

"No way! I wonder if Chazz and Banner got their keys stolen too! Ah, shit, this is bad! If Sheppard gets wind of this, we're on the next bus out of here!"

"Hello, Jaden, we're on an island. Bus?" She snarked.

"Don't get cheeky with me, I'm still a little drunk. We need to go talk to that Sherlock Holmes-looking dude. He'll be able to investigate the crime scene and find out who took them!"

The key keepers gathered again that evening in the Slifer dorm. They would have met earlier, but Banner had classes to teach. As it turned out, Banner had his key stolen as well, although his was in a locked safe. Banner showed no sign that he was upset, or even mildly affected by this news. Chazz, however, still possessed his key, which was firmly tied around his neck. He possessed a maddeningly superior smirk, clearly gleeful.

"You all should have been more careful! I knew not to trust that so-called detective!"

"And why is that, young Chazz?" Detective Zaloog said as he entered the Slifer common room. "I assure you, I had no hand in the theft of these three keys. I'm going to help you get them back to the best of my ability!"

"Yeah, Chazz, what's wrong with you? The detective is just trying to do his job!" Jaden said.

"Don't feed me that crap! I've had it with this guy's ridiculous lies! It's obvious he took the keys, he's the only other person who knew where they were!" Chazz stood up, and drew his sealed Zanpakuto from the pocket in his longcoat. "He's probably working for the Seven Star Generals!" He shouted angrily.

"Oh yeah, good point." Jaden admitted.

Zaloog chuckled in sinister fashion. "Awfully perceptive for a young buck, aren't you? You have the countenance of a seasoned warrior, despite your age. However, there is one thing you got wrong. I'm not just working for the Seven Star Generals-" Zaloog flung off his suit and hat, revealing messy gray hair. He wore a fastened leather vest and dirty jeans, and carried a short sword at his side. "I am a Seven Star General! You can call me Don Zaloog, captain of the Dark Scorpion Mercenaries, and the Fourth General of the Hollows!"

"The Dark Scorpion Mercenaries? Never heard of them."

"I wouldn't expect a high school student, even one attending the notably corrupt Duel Academy, to know about an underground gang like us! We've owned the narcotics trade on the Southern Seas for decades now, under the guidance of our master!"

"So, the Seven star Generals have a farther reach than we thought!" Chazz barked.

"Narcotics trade?" Jaden questioned. "Their reach may even be global. Whoever this "master" is, he has power." Banner said, looking somewhat perturbed for the first time Jaden had ever seen.

"Well, this must be a pretty big job, getting these keys. However, we all saw the box. You're not going to be able to unlock it without all seven keys, and it looks like you've only got six at the moment."

"It's nothing to ice a stuck-up princeling like yourself, Chazz. If you think you can take down the Dark Scorpions, just go ahead and try it!" Zaloog's words were timed well; as soon as he finished talking, the roof of the Slifer Red dorm suddenly came crashing down.

While it gave the key keepers a start, the collapsing roof did not harm any of them. Jaden flared his aura, black spirals of energy vaporizing the cheaply-made roof on contact. Standing in midair above them wwas Don Zaloog, as well as four other similarly dressed individuals, presumably the other members of the Dark Scorpions.

Banner gasped. "Oh no, they kidnapped Cliff The Security Guard!" Cliff did not look as though he was captured, or under duress of any sort. The fact that he was wearing the same brown leather vest as Don Zaloog, as well as a tattoo of a black scorpion on his muscled forearm, cast away any further doubt.

"Cliff! You joined the Dark Scorpions! Was everything we had a lie!?" Banner shouted passionately.

"You idiot, I never even worked as a security guard at your school. I was just walking in the hallway while wearing a security guard uniform that I copped off of the real guard. Frankly, I can't believe you didn't notice. I guess what the master said about this school being full of idiots is true!" Cliff laughed, taking out a sharp hunting knife and licking it in suggestive manner.

"Hey! Are you the girl from last night!?" Jaden asked half-seriously to the sole female member of the Dark Scorpions.

"Yes, that's right. My name, by the way, is Meanae. Although, if you think about it, I have no name." She smirked.

"That is literally the most cryptic thing you could have said." Jaden face-faulted.

"I'm sure all will become clear later. I'll give you credit, though; you are quite the lady killer, key keeper."

Jaden scratched the back of his head. "Why thank you! I aim to please." Alexis rolled her eyes. "What a pig."

Chazz idly swing his sword around. "So, if I had to guess, Zaloog is the leader, Cliff is the second-in-command, Meanae is the token female, and the blond kid is the smart one."

"Hey, you forgot about me." A large, heavyset man with a long scar trailing across his bald head spoke up, his voice slow and meandering.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just took that you were the big, stupid one for granted. Please, do something to prove me wrong." Chazz said with barely contained excitement. He wanted nothing more than to slice these jokers to pieces.

"Hey, boss! He called me stupid! I ain't stupid!" The big guy whined. "You're not stupid, Gorg, he's just a big meanie!" Zaloog consoled. "What was that, boss?" Meanae spoke up. "Nothing! Now then, let's dispose of this arrogant blowhard and we'll have everything we need to rule this world!" The five Scorpions touched down onto the ground, standing ten meters away from Chazz.

"Prepare to face the five of us at once!" The blond kid chirped. "That's the spirit, Chick!" Cliff yelled as he brandished his knife. Each of the Dark Scorpions wielded a different weapon. Zaloog brandished a pistol, which would be surprisingly useless, due to Chazz's reiatsu reducing the impact of the bullets until it became harmless. The blond boy, Chick, lifted a large wooden hammer. Gorg hefted a similarly large mace above his head with what seemed to be minimal effort. Meanae held a spiked whip, a fact that caused Jaden to blush intensely.

"Chazz, do you want our help? It's five on one, after all, and there's a lot at stake. According to Zaloog, whatever Sheppard has in that box can change the whole world!" Alexis shouted. Chazz slowly turned around, a cold, unwavering fire in his eyes.

"As if I would ever accept help from the likes of you three." He then turned around to face his enemies. Zaloog smirked. "Well, it seems as though you've sealed your fate, kid."

"Five on one should make this a bit of a challenge, I suppose. Perhaps this will be a good opportunity to put my training to the test." Chazz leapt forward, his sword changing form into twin scimitars. Don Zaloog fired a barrage of pistol shots at the black-haired youth, only for them to be effortlessly deflected by the curved swords. Chazz jumped into the air, his trenchcoat flapping in the nighttime breeze.

Zaloog drew a broadsword, but there seemed to be no need for it, as Chazz was met in midair by Chick. The boy's diminuitive frame allowed him to jump higher than Chazz. He brought his enormous hammer down on Chazz, who blocked with his scimitars. However, the brute force of the blow slammed him into the ground. Chazz rolled with his momentum, sticking one of his blades into the ground to slow him down.

Without warning, Chazz was wrapped up by Meanae's whip. He hissed in pain as the whip's sharp spikes dug into his skin. After a flash of Sonido, Cliff was right on top of him, his silver knife coming down in a deadly arc.

Chazz flared his reiatsu, forcing the whip off of him, and allowing him to grab Cliff's knife in between his hands. He snapped the blade to his left, throwing Cliff off balance. Chazz jumped, still holding Cliff's hands in place. He kicked the gang member in the face, shattering the man's glasses.

Chazz hopped away, desperately trying to create distance. However, Gorg the strongman was on top of him, his ball and chain inches away from Chazz's face. Chazz rolled under the heavily telegraphed strike. "**Hado #32, Okasen (Yellow Fire Flash)**!"

Chazz let loose a crescent-shaped arc of yellow energy at point-blank range, launching Gorg into the air. "He's got a tough hide! I though that would slice him in two!" Chazz thought. Gorg slammed into Chick, bringing them both to the ground, gasping for air.

There was an awkward lull in the fight. Chazz reformed his katana in his hand, and the Dark Scorpions huddled together, clearly planning a group assault. Suddenly, everyone was distracted by three energy signatures flash stepping towards them.

Bastion, Syrus, and Chumley landed next to Jaden, Alexis, and Banner. "We sensed two energy signatures fighting, one of them being a Hollow. I figured that's why you guys weren't at dinner." Bastion said calmly. "If you need help, we're here." Chumley spoke up.

"Wait, you only sensed two? There are six people fighting." Alexis snapped. Bastion glanced over to the battlefield.

"Strange. It seems that these Hollows have no shortage of tricks. This will be another thing to add to my research notes."

"I sensed it as well. Even though there are five of you, you each share the same well of energy. Explain yourself!" Chazz demanded.

Zaloog smiled. "Well, you got me. It's a unique ability among Hollows. My Resurreccion, **Escorpion Oscuro (Dark Scorpion)**. The ability to control a human body by using nothing but my own power. I cannot control their personalities, but their actions are completely a result of my own will. I gain their own memories and experiences. It's why we make such a great team!" The Dark Scorpions each entered a battle stance, suddenly seeming much creepier now that the true nature of Zaloog's Zanpakuto was clear.

Syrus clenched his fist. "Controlling people and making them your puppets? What a violation of the sanctity of life!"

"So wait, if that Meanae chick is your puppet…does that make me gay?" Jaden irises shrank to the size of pinpoints.

"Serves you right." Alexis said in between giggles. Everyone soon devolved into helpless laughter at Jaden's predicament. Even Chazz laughed.

"Well. I can't answer that question, boy. Although if you ask me, you should be more concerned about your emo friend losing this fight, and his key! World domination is only a step away!" Cliff barked.

"Don't lump me in with them. I have no interest in whatever that old fool Sheppard has stored away in his stupid treasure box. All that matters to me is power! You can come at me with five or you can come at me with twenty of your puppets! Either way, you will only be a stepping stone to my real dream! I'm gonna be the greatest warrior who has ever lived! No one is ever gonna boss me around ever again!" Chazz shouted as he powered up. Green-white reiatsu flared, whipping at the spectators. Angry thoughts of the years of abuse he suffered at the hands of his brothers swam to the surface of his mind.

"Um, is it me, or is Chazz a little too strong just to be in shikai?" Syrus squeaked. "I can't imagine what sort of training he's been putting himself through." Bastion said grimly. Alexis was unimpressed. Jaden smiled. "I'm glad that he's gotten so strong!"

"Reap, Kazeshini!" Chazz yelled. His blade transformed into two windmill scythes, the edges of the blades inverted, making them look like pinwheels. His Zanpakuto had taken the form of Lucien Grimley's shikai.

"Impressive, isn't it? If this blade of mine touches another Zanpakuto, it will be able to replicate its physical appearance. An especially useful skill for copying such a unique weapon like Kazeshini. This is what it means to be the ultimate weapon, a soldier of fortune! Kazeshini used to belong to the best student at North Academy, Lucien Grimley. I daresay I'll put this weapon to better use than he ever could!"

Chazz and the Dark Scorpions ran at each other again, all of them having malevolent grins on their faces. Chazz hurled one of his spinning blades at Chick, who was forced to block using his hammer. Chazz's pinwheel sliced the wooden mallet in two, but Chick emerged unharmed.

Chazz was slammed in the side by Gorg's dulled mace, sending him flying into the Slifer Red dorm building. Chazz flash stepped away, gripping his heavily bleeding obliques tightly. "Hey, I hit em, Boss!" Gorg celebrated. "No, look behind you!" Zaloog yelled.

Gorg did as he was told. Due to the angle at which he hit Chazz, one of Kazeshini's blades flew from Chazz's hands, landing behind Gorg. All it took was one pull of the chain, and the blade came flying directly at Gorg's back, stabbing him.

"One down." Chazz flash stepped over to Gorg's fresh corpse, yanking the bloodied Kazeshini out with a gruesome squishing noise.

"No! You killed Gorg! You… you monster!" Meanae whipped at Chazz, who wore a dully satisfied smirk on his face. The thorny whip wrapped around Chazz's Kazeshini, yanking both of the pinwheels from his hands. Before Chazz could reform his weapon in his hands, Chick bore down on him with a barrage of punches and kicks.

"You bastard! Gorg was our friend, our comrade! And you cut him down like it was nothing!" Chick's attacks were easily blocked by the far more powerful and experienced Chazz, who wore a psychotic smirk on his face. Unfortunately, the boy threw an unlucky punch at Chazz's face, which Chazz blocked with his own fist. He twisted Chick 180 degrees before bringing the boys spindly arm down on his shoulder, breaking the bone.

Chick howled in pain as his now-useless arm hung limply by his side."Chick! Don't worry, little buddy! We'll get you healed!" Cliff shouted as he rushed to engage Chazz in battle.

"So wait, who are supposed to be rooting for, again?" Jaden asked politely. "No kidding. Chazz is a fucking asshole." Alexis said angrily. She hated people who bullied and lorded themselves over others; she tried her best to avoid such behavior on a daily basis, treating others with respect, even if they were in Slifer Red. To her, Chazz's way of fighting was sickening.

Cliff's knife strikes were flawlessly executed, but Chazz's overwhelming advantage in the reiatsu department prevented Cliff from landing a solid blow. Chazz mocked the Dark Scorpion, waiting until the last possible moment to evade his attacks. "Damn it! Stay still!" Meanae and Zaloog rushed to assist their friend, but a silent Byakurai from Chazz warded them off.

"**Bakudo #21, Sekienton (Red Smoke Escape)!**" An explosion of vermillion dust flew from the ground up, taking everyone completely by surprise. It cleared in only a few seconds, as Chazz had barely put any of his power into the spell. However, it was enough time for him to perform a flash step.

"Damn, where did he go-" Meanae found out in the worst possible way. Chazz reformed Fuuinji into a long wooden spear, its characteristic red tassel waving at the end of the staff. He immediately flash stepped behind Meanae, running her through from behind. He twisted his spear inside of her, causing a squeal of pain.

"Wow, that is fucked up." Jaden said. "You and Alexis are going to hit the swear jar hard when this is over, you know." Syrus reprimanded. "Sorry, Syrus." Both Jaden and Alexis said while blushing.

"Now you go night-night." Chazz retracted his length from her bleeding point of entrance. She slowly turned around, looking him directly in the eyes. She found no hint of empathy or mercy. Chazz wordlessly vaporized her body with a highly charged Shakkaho.

"We should probably do something to stop this senseless violence." Bastion said, becoming very uncomfortable with how enthusiastically Chazz was slaughtering the Dark Scorpions. "You weren't here when they said this, but these guys apparently run an underground crime circuit on the Southern Seas. For all we know, we might be buying from them." Jaden informed Bastion. "That is troubling. Perhaps this is for the best then." But still, Bastion looked worried.

Chick was openly crying. It just wasn't fair- he had grown up in a broken home, with an alcoholic mother and an absent father. He never fit in at school, and dropped out of high school at the age of 17. He had no future, until he was offered a chance by Don Zaloog. A chance to live, a chance to truly live for the first time. Was it really going to end here?

Zaloog powered up, a blue aura surrounding his body. Cliff ran at Chazz once more, but Chazz halted his progress by trapping him in a Rikujokoro binding spell. "No! No more!" Zaloog fired a navy blue cero from his mouth, moving at incredibly high speeds towards Alexis.

None of the key keepers were ready to intercept a Resurreccion-level Cero in such a short time frame. Alexis herself did not even register that the beam was heading for her; she believed that Zaloog was firing at Chazz. Chazz knew he had to act.

Chazz leapt in the laser's path, taking the complete brunt of the shot on his back, burning away his dirty black trenchcoat and exposing his muscled upper body.

Alexis was in shock. Did Chazz really just risk his life to save hers? Without his interference, she would've been grievously injured, if not killed by that blast. Everyone else was just as surprised. They doubted that Chazz would take a shot like that for them.

_"Ah, so he does have some feelings…" _Bastion thought. Jaden felt an uncharacteristic upspike of jealousy well up within him, and he knew why. Jaden could not believe Chazz thought he had a chance with someone like Alexis.

Chazz looked at Alexis, an intense, passionate look in his eyes. "Why did you do that?" Alexis said much more cruelly than she would have liked. "I don't have to give you an explanation… my body moved of its own accord." This statement sparked even more shock from the others. Syrus took out his phone and tweeted "ChazzxAlexis- I SHIP IT" in hasty fashion.

"…I have to go." She stuttered. Before Chazz could respond, she flash stepped to parts unknown. Jaden frowned when he was sure Chazz wasn't looking at him. Chazz looked distraught, his stoic masking seemingly falling apart.

"Well, how's that, Princeton? Am I too strong for you?" Zaloog taunted, his smug words hiding the grief he felt over losing the other members of the Dark Scorpions. Despite them truly only being his puppets, he grew to care about them as if they were his own comrades.

Chazz's key fell to the ground, the necklace attaching to Chazz's neck being burned away by the Cero. Chazz picked it up and put it in his jeans pocket. He slowly turned to face the remaining three Dark Scorpions. His gaze was limp, unfocused, and yet terrifying. "What? Are you sad because you just got rejected? What a pathetic, vile punk you are!" Cliff foolishly mocked Chazz while still trapped in his binding spell.

Chazz gripped his sword so tightly that his hands began to bleed. "Bankai. Tomi Koen Buki." Noiselessly, his sword mutated into a pitch-black katana. Suddenly, he was in front of the bound Cliff, his movements completely untrackable. Without a word, he bisected Cliff vertically, before vaporizing the body with kido, leaving no mess.

"I never imagined that the legendary Seven Star Generals would be this weak. But that's fine… it's not a challenge I'm looking for." Another second, and he was in front of Chick, who desperately tried to crawl away from the Black Thunderbolt. "I love the feeling of dominating a weaker opponent." "Oh, God, no! Please, I have a family!" Chick fruitlessly pleaded.

"Die nameless." Chazz cleanly chopped off the young boy's head. Chick's family would never learn of his fate. Only Don Zaloog was left. He calmly stood, having accepted his fate with dignity. "So much for the mighty Dark Scorpions, huh?" Chazz's words were choked with emotion that had nothing to do with the battle.

Zaloog bowed his head. "You truly are a great warrior. But you must let go of your hatred and anger. It will only eat away at you until there is nothing left but an empty shell, devoid of humanity." His words cut clearly through the night, the spectators being completely silent.

Chazz impaled Zaloog through the chest, causing the mercenary to cough up blood. "As if I'm going to take the words of a lowlife like you seriously."

"I don't know what you're angry about, but as long as you stay mad, your wounds will stay open, and fester!"

Chazz closed his eyes, his resolve weakening. Zaloog somehow found it in him to smile, even as blood trailed from the corners of his mouth. "I hope you move on, someday. I sense that you were not always a monster." With that, Don Zaloog died, Chazz discarding his limp corpse to the ground.

Chazz slowly lowered to the ground. When he turned to face the rest of the students, he did not wear a cocky grin, or even an angry smirk. For the first time, Chazz looked despondent, even sad. "They needed to be stopped, Chazz." Banner commented.

In Chazz's mind, the word "Monster" sounded, over and over, accompanied by Alexis' sad expression as she faded away from his vision. Before he knew it, tears were streaming down his face. "This… THIS IS NO WAY TO WIN!" He shouted before he flashed away.

Jaden immediately tried to sense his reiatsu, but before he could follow Chazz, Bastion gripped his arm. "Don't do it, Jaden. He's unstable right now, and I'm sure you're the last person he wants to see." Jaden frowned. "You're right, Bastion. You usually are. I don't know why he hates me so much. I just wanna help him somehow, but I can't." Jaden muttered.

Bastion clapped him on the shoulder. "You are a kind man, Jaden Yuki. I never expected you, the popular kid who everyone likes, to want to help an antisocial loner like Chazz. But you cannot help him. Some wounds can only be healed by time."

Jaden walked over to Zaloog's corpse, grabbing his and Alexis' keys. "I suppose. Still, at least there are only three of those hollows left. After this is all over, I'm gonna find out what's in that box. Whatever Sheppard is hiding better be worth all of this."

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the sixteenth chapter of Kids With Swords!**

**Yeah, this chapter was a little dark, but it was the natural direction I felt as I wrote it. Chazz's character has underwent a major transformation, and I hope I was able to write it without coming off as wangsty. I intentionally wrote Chazz as cruel as possible while humanizing the Dark Scorpions, as I felt it would give the conflict that was so silly in canon a lot of depth here. Tell me what you guys thought of it. Next chapter will back to the usual jocular tone, but I thought that this chapter deserved a different take.**


	17. OLD SCHOOL

_"Fear of a name only increases the fear of the thing itself."_

_"You Monster!" "Are you sad that you got rejected, punk bitch?" "I sense you weren't always this way."_ The words of Chazz's fallen enemies echoed in his head. He sat on a cliffside overlooking the sea, his legs dangling off of the outcropping. He had sat there for so long, his anguished thoughts trapped in his own mind. He had stared out into the sky, lying on his back for almost ten hours. His stomach churned in hunger, and his already shadowed eyes had darkened even more.

"Maybe I am a monster…" Chazz mumbled out loud, his voice hoarse from disuse.

"What am I even doing here?" The question echoed into sheer silence. The gray clouds overcasting the sky seemed to muffle the outdoor sounds; the crashing waves, the noises of animals, and even the wind itself seemed to be hushed.

"Who am I?"

Chazz had no answer for his own question. He had no more riches, as his family disowned him, and he no longer had any of his connections in the outside world. Frankly, he was dead to the world outside of the Academy. He had no career plans once he was finished with school, although he was raised to become a prizefighter. His only skill was killing. Ever since he had been forced to return to Duel Academy from the North, he had actively avoided forging any friendships with his former classmates. Attachments formed weaknesses, and weaknesses caused pain. He would never be weak again.

He had devoted months upon months of his life to training, and the tenuous goal he had focused his efforts towards was revenge against a hard-partying clown. Jaden's complete lack of acknowledgement to his hatred had dulled it, leaving stale numbness in its place. He was tired of being angry, plain and simple.

The only other thing he felt was a growing attraction towards the Obelisk Ice Queen, Alexis Rhodes. Ever since they had been in grade school, Chazz had always tried to be her equal in combat, but he could never even challenge her. His desperate desire for her validation morphed over time into something romantic. She never gave him anything more than a cold sneer, even though he had risked his life to save hers.

He eventually went back to the Slifer Red Dorm to eat, but inside, Chazz was lost in a sea of self-pity and loathing. "I'm sick of it." He muttered under his breath.

Alexis and Zane had met at their usual spot, the lighthouse pier at around 11 at night. Alexis had dark lines beneath her normally bright honey-colored eyes, not unlike those of Chazz. They had stood in silence, each communication without saying a word. However, Zane eventually chose to speak up.

"I saw Atticus today. He seems to be doing well, although he hasn't spoken to anyone yet. At least he's walking around though."

Alexis was not crying; her eyes held a hardened view, a coarsened perspective. Her date with Jaden had seemed so long ago, even though it was only a few days ago. "I'm glad as well. I hope he can make a full recovery. It will be so nice to have him back." Her words were dead and lacked any weight. "I just can't believe it. I don't want this kind of attention… I don't want this at all." She mumbled. Zane turned to face her. He knew exactly what she was referring to.

"I'm sorry I haven't been there for you, Alexis. I know that fighting these hollows has been stressful for you, and Jaden and Chazz probably haven't been helping." Zane wasn't the best at communicating his feelings, but he felt he had tackled the heart of the issue.

"I like what we have. Just fun, no strings attached. I wish that I could just cut my feelings away sometimes… I wonder if Jaden could understand me." She said sadly.

"So I was reading this book the other day, right?" Jaden said as he grabbed a piece of the pizza he was sharing with Syrus, Chumley, and Bastion at Bastion's dorm.

"Bullshit." Chumley immediately interjected, causing Syrus and Bastion laugh heartily.

"No dude, I'm serious! It was a history of the powerful Zanpakuto fighters in the world. Yugi and Kaiba were in there!" Jaden exclaimed. All were familiar with Seto Kaiba, the owner and superintendent of Duel Academy, as well as one of the richest and most powerful men in the world.

Yugi was no stranger to the students either. He was infamous for being the only person who could ever defeat Kaiba in his prime. But aside from that, Yugi was much more shrouded in mystery, a sharp contrast to Kaiba, who always was in the spotlight. Distinguishing himself Kaiba's incessant boasting, Yugi held a quiet confidence in battle, and he was generally known for being a much more gracious winner and loser than Kaiba was.

The rumors were that Yugi retired from fighting shortly after an incident in Egypt, but hardly anyone knew anything about it. Kaiba had outright banned the issue from exposure by the press, which of course only sparked more outlandish theories amongst the general populous.

"I sure would like to fight Yugi one day! However, there was this one guy who was supposedly even stronger than him! An ancient pharaoh named Abidos III!" Jaden said excitedly.

"Do tell," said Bastion, who held his face in one hand. "Abidos III was the only person in history who has never been defeated, either by human, or hollow."

"But how can you verify that? The guy lived over 5000 years ago. He probably lost, he just had his defeats stricken from the records." Syrus piped up.

Bastion let out a lofty chuckle. "Oh, Syrus, you are far too innocent. I'll have you know there were once rumors passing around about Yugi himself being the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. Can you believe that nonsense? This is why we can only rely on the history books for our facts. Otherwise, someone could just make up bullcrap."

In a dark temple, several torches suddenly caught fire without anyone touching them. Bandaged figures all stood around what appeared to be a dusty tomb, each of them wearing ornate gold headpieces. Another man was hidden behind a pillar, his body completely in darkness.

"The time has come to release the strongest of the Seven Star Generals. I only hope he can keep his enormous power under control." The lid of the sarcophagus was raised and lowered. A man rose from the grave, wearing a white tunic and cape, a solid gold mask, and the same headdress as his acolytes.

"Lord Abidos! You have returned at last!" One of the braver followers groveled at his lord's feet.

"It is time, my men. I know why I have been revived. Now, it is time to fufill my purpose. I will become the greatest pharaoh in history, once I have achieved my prize! Ready my ship!" The man's voice boomed with authority. The men scrambled to prepare the ship for departure. In the shadows, Abidos' master smiled.

Alexis and Zane noticed several silhouettes lurking towards them.

"I see some freshmen finally decided on a make-out spot." Zane said, deadpan.

"Those aren't freshmen! Those are mindless zombies!" Alexis wailed. Indeed, several dozen rotted-out mummies were lumbering towards the duo, yellowed bandages falling from their emaciated bodies.

"…. I see no difference." Zane muttered. Both of the Obelisk blue warriors drew their swords. Immediately, 50 of the mummies were frozen by Alexis' ice, while Zane shredded another hundred with expert flash step.

"Ah, now this is just the venting I needed." Alexis smirked.

Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, and Bastion laughed as soon as they saw the mummies advancing upon them.

"What a cliché, the General sending in the fodder before engaging us himself." Chumley boasted as he lodged Gegetsuburi into a mummy's skull.

"You would think they would take us more seriously at this point!" Jaden chuckled as he roasted the undead with a basic fire attack. Syrus' shikai proved to be especially effective at dispatching the zombies, its' heat cleanly chopping the enemies into pieces. "Hopefully the real deal shows up soon!" Bastion sneered as he kicked one of the mummies away.

Chazz was also having a relatively easy time with the zombies, although he was not fighting anywhere near his best. His depression hampered his reflexed, but he was still not threatened int he least by the fodder mummies. He felt absolutely nothing as he tore through the mummies and their seemingly endless ranks.

Above the island, a golden sky skiff seemed to descend from nowhere, pure white sails flapping in the night's breeze. Soon after, a bright golden light engulfed the key keepers, their conscious minds completely leaving them, their last sights being the airship.

When Jaden awoke, he found that he, along with Alexis, Zane, Chazz, Bastion, Chumley, Syrus, and Banner were laying on the deck of what appeared to be a boat. He saw the nighttime stars moving quickly above him, and discerned that they were moving fairly fast. However, what surprised Jaden was how difficult it was to breathe, as if they were at a higher altitude.

Everyone quickly sat up and analyzed their surroundings, except for Chazz and Banner, who simply did not seem to be very interested. "An airship? How does this thing work? I don't see any engine exhaust!" Alexis deduced.

"Man, this is cool!" Jaden shouted. "They must have tracked our keys…" Banner surmised. They were surprised to find that they needed a good 15 seconds to recover breath.

"Do not concern yourselves with the workings of my magic!" A high, commanding voice sounded from above them. Jaden turned around and jumped up onto a platform at the center of the vessel, shaped like a boxing ring. He was shocked to find dozens of men in white robes with spears and swords occupying the bow of the ship. Near the center of this mass of people was a large bronze throne, where a figure in ancient Egyptian garb lounged, snacking on grapes.

"Which one of you jokers said that?" Jaden said with no small amount of swagger. "That is not how one should address an Egyptian Pharaoh, you insolent boy." The man who was slouching on the chair had now stood up, his white cape flowing in the breeze. He wore a smooth gold mask, making his expression a complete mystery.

"Ah, you all must be the key keepers. The standards for warriors seems to have fallen these days. They even let a mere palace girl into their ranks!" The so-called pharaoh snorted with derision.

Color rose in Alexis' cheeks. "My name is Alexis, and you've never met a palace girl quite like me!" She flash stepped onto the platform, pointing her sword at this rude man. "I'll show you how a real woman can fight!"

Jaden chuckled. "Just chill out, Alexis. You gotta admit, that was a good diss. I'll make sure to burn him back for you." He said as his sword began to glow red-hot.

"Hey, wait, you guys!" Bastion interjected. "You may not want to rush into this fight! This guy is Abidos III, the greatest fighter in history and former ruler of Egypt!" Everyone gasped when Bastion made this claim.

Abidos chuckled. "Well, it seems at least one of you is well-educated. That is right, I am the great Pharaoh, Abidos III. I have been revived for the sole purpose of challenging you key keepers. I am told that great power lies with you and those trinkets of yours. Once I defeat you, that power will be all mine!"

"And what about that master of yours? We know that you Seven Star Generals are serving someone." Syrus spoke up.

"My lord possesses the power to revive the greatest warriors in history, all for the purpose of securing those keys! However, he made a grave mistake in resurrecting me, a god whose power is beyond any mortal control! Once those keys are in my grasp, I will rule this world, and you will all feel the wrath of Anubis!"

"Wow, your master kinda sucks at picking warriors then, because we've been able to beat them all so far, and we're regular high school students." Jaden chirped right back.

_"Regular high school students, he says," _thought Bastion wryly. _"We all know that there is something very odd about you, Jaden."_

"This guy must be good at hiding his power. I barely sense any energy from him." Zane observed. Jaden turned around. "Oh, hey Zane! I haven't seen you in a while, how's it going?" "There's a good reason for that, kid." Zane said in a deadpan affect.

Jaden promptly ignored him. "Hey, Alexis, I know this a lot to ask, but can I fight him? He's a living legend!" Jaden pleaded comically.

Alexis gave Abidos a cold look before turning to Jaden. "I cannot allow this fool to insult me and get away with it. Besides, I haven't even gotten to fight any of these Hollows yet." She responded.

"I know, and I'm really sorry I've been hogging all of them, but I'll let you take the next one, OK?" Alexis sheathed her sword. "Those puppy dog eyes of yours always get me. Fine, you can take this one."

Jaden grinned before giving her a hug. "Thanks, Lex! I promise I'll give you guys a good fight to watch." She blushed slightly as she hopped down from the platform.

Zane smirked. _"That Jaden is a bit of a player."_

Chazz looked at the display of affection with burning jealousy. He welcomed the feeling; it was at least better than the persistent numbness he had been experiencing lately.

Abidos drew a curved scimitar. He turned to his loyal acolytes behind them. "Men, I will have to ask you to leave here. This battle could get rather messy." With a wave of his hand, the undead mummies behind him crumbled into a mass of dust and bandages. "Mere extensions of my will, those men. The undead tend to make loyal servants." Abidos explained before any of the students could ask.

"Now then, boy, are you ready to face your death?"

"The opportunity to fight the greatest swordsman in history? I'm always ready, Abidos!" They both leapt at each other, each crossing about ten meters of the platform before crossing blades. Jaden flowed into a series of side swings, feeling out his opponents strength. To his surprise, Abidos seemed to be having difficulty blocking the strikes. Jaden chalked it up to being rusty, as this was surely the first time Abidos had fought in 3000 years.

Abidos launched a rather telegraphed lunge, which Jaden smoothly dodged by jumping backwards. The Slifer Red silently activated his Shikai before shooting himself towards the pharaoh with a wind-powered boost. His sword slammed into Abidos', sending Abidos skidding backwards as he blocked.

Jaden formed a ball of water in his hand, cold winds swirling around it. "Suidan!" He fired the water bullet at Abidos, who barely avoided the fatal blow by sloppily rolling onto the ground. Before he could rise again, Jaden kicked Abidos in the face, shattering his golden mask into pieces.

The golden mask shards clattered on the floor. Abidos' face was finally revealed. "Wait, you're a girl!?" Jaden yelped.

"I am not a girl, you miserable wretch! I simply have very delicate features, that's all!" Abidos shouted back. Indeed, he had smooth skin, large eyes, black eyeliner, and full, inviting lips.

"Yeah, this guy's a trap. Trust me dudes, I know from experience." Chumley said in sagelike manner. "Too much information, Chum." Syrus replied.

"Woah, almost tricked me there, bro. Now then, I hope you're ready for the real battle to begin! Show me how strong you really are!" Jaden flared his black reiatsu, blotting out the blanket of stars above them.

Abidos held his arms out at his sides, golden energy rolling off of his body in waves. "Fine then, if you are truly so eager to die, I will show you the powers of my hollowfication!

**Kirameke, Konjiki Gokiburi** (Sparkle, Golden Scarab)!"

A large golden sarcophagus grew from the floor of the ship, encasing the young pharaoh completely. After a few seconds, golden light shone from the cracks of the tomb, and the sarcophagus exploded.

Abidos emerged, his reiatsu washing over him in gold light. Instead of a sword, he now carried an orange cane with a curved end. He still wore his white tunic, but his entire body was also covered in bandages.

"Not a very drastic transformation, compared to the rest of these freaks. His power has increased, though." Chazz finally spoke up, although his voice was devoid of emotion.

"He must still be suppressing his power. Jaden dwarfs him right now, even though he's only in shikai." Syrus said. The young boy had grown to be very battle-intuitive over the course of the year, although his own fighting experience was limited.

"Now, boy. Attack me now." Abidos commanded. "Ok." Jaden jabbed at the Seven Star General. Abidos immediately used Sondio to escape into the air. Jaden frowned before giving chase with his own flash step. Sonic booms echoed across the sky as the two warriors clashed. They seemed to be completely even, each of the swordsmen blocking and striking in equal measure. However, to those watching below, it was the most one-sided display they had ever seen.

"Jaden is having no trouble with him at all. This Hollow would have to multiply his power twofold to even tussle with Chumley, much less Jaden." Zane observed. "No offense, big guy." He quickly added. "None taken, man." Chumley said amiably. "I can't believe you've talked to Chumley more than me lately!" Syrus pouted. "Quiet, you. I'm trying to watch the fight." Zane snapped coldly. _"Big brother noticed me!" _Syrus thought, a blush on his face.

Jaden launched three small fireballs from his mouth at Abidos, who dodged them by diving down towards the ship.

"I wonder why his Resurreccion is in Japanese if he's supposed to be an Egyptian Pharoah." Banner innocently questioned.

"Maybe the Hollows don't get to pick the names of their Resurreccion. After all, all of our Zanpakuto are named after Japanese words, and we speak English!" Bastion astutely pointed out.

"I wonder why they're all in Japanese in the first place. Perhaps the Zanpakuto first manifested in Japan?" Alexis wondered.

"Hey, it sounds cool when you say it, though. Remember when I used my shikai against the Paradox Brothers? That was badass!" Syrus said cheerfully. "It wasn't that badass." Zane immediately interrupted.

Jaden and Abidos fought on the surface of the ship once more, Abidos firing orange Cero from his palms at the young Slifer, who easily deflected them with a wind technique. As the blasts flew off into the sky, Jaden and Abidos stared each other down. Abidos was sweating, and he was taking hitched breaths. Jaden, on the other hand, did not look very tired at all. "You're not bad, not bad at all. I've never seen someone go toe to toe with me at my full power before."

Jaden's eyes looked like dinner plates. "You've gotta be kidding me! That's your full power!?" He began to laugh, as did the spectators. Even Chazz allowed a derisive chuckle.

"Why are you laughing?" Abidos' swagger was gone; he was looking hurt, scared. "If that's your full power, than you're all flash and no substance! Even Chumley could give you a hard fight! The standards for warriors must have been really low back then!" Jaden ruthlessly mocked.

Abidos' mouth fell open in pure shock. "No, this cannot be! I'm the strongest warrior ever! None can ever match me! Do you hear me! None!" A futile slash was clumsily aimed at Jaden's midsection. Jaden easily deflected the sword strike.

"Well, that's not true. I hate to break it to you, but you're simply not very good at fighting. I'm sure you were a good leader, though!" Jaden said in a vain attempt to assuage the phoaroah's pride.

"It can't be true! I trained against the greatest my palace had to offer, every single day! I was never defeated, not once!" Abidos' thoughts raced . He was in his own throne room, clashing blades with one of his high priests. In only a few moves, he had his sword at his subordinates' throat. "I cannot be beaten!" Abidos remembered saying. "You are the greatest, O Pharaoh…,"

However, while Abidos gloated over his supposed victories, his disgruntled henchmen muttered under their breath. "I'm sick of losing to this spoiled brat all the time!" "Why must we surrender our dignity to this fool!?" "Because if we don't, he probably have us fed to the lions!" they each said.

Those words echoed in Abidos' mind. "Could it be…that my servants let me win?" Despair flickered in his expressive eyes. Jaden cocked his head back as these words reached his ears.

"Your servants let you win?" Chazz let out another empty chuckle. "What a pathetic loser!"

"His whole life has been a lie…," Alexis said quietly.

"Impossible! This changes everything! Every tenant of history has been thrown into question!" Bastion exclaimed. "You know, having servants like that wouldn't be so bad." Syrus shrugged, causing Chumley and Zane to chuckle.

"So, this is your first real fight then…" Jaden considered. "Come on, then. Get up. This fight isn't over. " He encouraged.

"Um, I don't think that empowering a homicidal demon is the best idea." Chumley brought up. Abidos' aura flared to life like a brush fire before the great king leapt at Jaden once more.

"It's really no big deal, Chumley. Jaden isn't even really trying in his Shikai, and besides, this Abidos fellow isn't that bad." Bastion said, having gotten over the shock of Abidos' fraudulence. The fight between Jaden and Abidos continued for about an hour, and although Abidos was still far from Jaden's level, the Slifer Red boy was happy to teach and guide Abidos in the art of swordplay as they battled.

Both men eventually landed back on the deck of the ship. "Thank you for the match, Jaden Yuki. I have been humbled by your sheer power and skill. It appears that I have a long way to go before I can truly become legendary."

Jaden smiled. "We all do. Behind every great warrior is a lot of practice, that's for sure."

Suddenly, Abidos gripped Jaden's hands. Jaden could not help but notice how smooth and strong they were. "Jaden, come with me, back to my time! I need your training, so that one day I may become the legend I believed that I once was! Fame, power, fortune- it will all be yours!" Abidos had leaned in very close to Jaden's face, and the brown-haired youth backed up with haste, blushing.

Alexis' face was beet red, yaoi fantasies dancing in her mind. "Clearly, he's not in his right mind…" Zane commented. "C-come with you? Where are you going?" Jaden stammered. Suddenly, Abidos' orange cane disappeared, and his reiatsu levels dropped down; he could no longer maintain his Resurreccion. "My soul does not belong here. My master sent me here to take your keys, and my Hollowification is limited. I must go back to where I belong… my soul is finally at peace." Abidos stated calmly.

"Well, I'm not going with you. My own life is just beginning. This place, this time, with my own friends, is where I belong. I'm sure of it." Jaden's answer was absolutely confident, and left no room for argument. "I see. Then, I will go. Goodbye, Jaden." Suddenly, everything around the key keepers disappeared in a blinding flash of light.

When the Duel Academy students (and Banner) woke up, the night sky was beginning to grey with the coming of dawn, the stars fading away.

"What the hell just happened?" Chazz was the first to say.

"Let us never speak of this again." Zane immediately suggested, to the assent of everyone else.

"Hey, where did Banner go?" Bastion quickly looked around. However, the enigmatic science teacher had at last evaded the sight of the students.

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the seventeenth chapter of Kids With Swords!**

**A bit of a breather after last chapter. I honestly had a hard time writing this one. There just isn't much to this battle. Still, be hyped for next week though, because Alexis vs Titan is coming, and it's going to be glorious. Unfortunately, it is becoming the busy part of year for me, so I may not have time to upload these chapters as frequently. Still, I'll do my best. Catch ya'll later!**


	18. SNOWBLIND

_"I'm running away from the past I left behind._

_Looking for answers but I'm blinded by the light."_

Alexis was visiting her comatose brother, Atticus, in the hospital, as she usually did after dinner. She usually sat at his bedside and read, or surfed the internet. _"Only two more of these shadow generals to go. Victory finally seems within reach, but it's meaningless if I can't have my brother_ back." She thought sadly. every time she saw her brother, it was like an old wound being picked and reopened.

_"If only there some way I could get him back! I'd do anything!" _The same self-defeating mantra echoed in her head.

"Anything, you say?" A deep, threatening voice said from seemingly nowhere. Alexis saw a ring of black fire circle around her body. She drew her sword, but before she could properly defend herself, her vision swam, and she fell helplessly onto the ground.

"What the hell is going on? My body- it won't move!" She yelled.

"I could find some way to wake your brother… all it would take is that key around your neck."

Alexis gasped before the light left her eyes completely. She slumped, lifeless as the obsidian flame devoured her body. Atticus, at long last, tragically opened his eyes just as Alexis was gone.

"What just happened? Who was that?"

The Slifer Red boys were sleeping soundly, enjoying a full day of activities. Spring had arrived at Duel Academy, and the water was finally warm enough to swim in. With only two months left until the term break, many of the students had checked out of school completely.

However, the peaceful slumber was interrupted by a knocking on their recently repaired door. "I'm not getting that." Syrus said. Chumley, naturally, was not disturbed by the noise. "But Syrus, Jaden wants sleepy time!" Jaden mumbled into his pillow.

After much prodding, Jaden answered the door to see, of all people, Chazz standing outside. Chazz, who did not healthy in the best of times, had even darker shadows under his eyes than usual.

"OK, so why do you look like Tim Burton?" Jaden yawned.

"I wasn't able to sleep, not after the news I heard. Come on, we need to go the Academy. Alexis has gone missing." Chazz looked scared, an expression that Jaden was unfamiliar seeing on his normally haughty rival.

Jaden himself was desperately trying to keep his emotions in check. He knew he had feelings for Alexis, but he never imagined he would be this upended by the news.

After waking Chumley, the four of them flash stepped to the Academy, meeting up with Crowler and Zane.

"There's no sign of her in the dorm." Zane said shortly.

"I can't feel her reiatsu signature. Where could she have gone!?" Crowler said, his usual effeminate manner gone. Suddenly, the group heard a noise from the nearby hospital wing, and they ran to see what it was. Zane threw the door open to find Atticus lying the ground, panting.

"Atticus, you're awake!" Zane said, happy that his best friend was finally up from his coma. "I'm so glad!"

"Zane….it's good to see you too bruh. But Alexis…she's gone! A hollow, called Titan- he took her to the abandoned dorm! He's gonna do something to her- he said something about revenge."

"Titan?" Jaden's eyes immediately turned gold. "I remember him! So, he's become a Hollow, huh?"

"That guy- I hoped he would never come back!" Syrus said, anger creeping into his voice. Chumley, who was normally slow to anger, soured his face in disgust at the news.

"What are you guys talking about?" Bastion asked.

"We fought this Titan guy at the Abandoned Dorm last September. He wasn't a hollow back then, but he was still insanely powerful. He even had a Bankai. We would've died if it weren't for Alexis interfering when she did." Syrus muttered.

Crowler was sweating profusely, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. He never would've thought that the bounty hunter he hired would try to kill the children. He only hoped that they would be scared off! The man Crowler was now hated who he was in the past, sending a hitman out after kids. No, he was going to help find Alexis in any way he could, to atone for his sins in the past.

_"Plus, I never actually made out that check to him!"_ Crowler worried.

Alexis was allowed to go to her room, in order to grab her sword. The flame hideously morphed into the facsimile of a man, the hitman once known as Titan. His black clothes were unnaturally clean, the silver mask on his face gleaming in the moonlight.

"Grab your sword, woman, and make it fast. You have five minutes to meet me at the Abandoned Dorm." With a low-toned Sonido, he was gone. Alexis calmly grabbed her Zanpakuto from her closet, and threw a lavender-colored cloak over her shoulders, giving her an air of regalia. She flash stepped to the Abandoned Dorm.

Alexis arrived in the spacious basement chamber, where Titan was waiting for her. "Why have you come back here, bounty hunter? Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?" She said in a most chilling monotone. T

itan laughed, his voice distorted and warped from his hollowfication. "You have no idea how painful my death was at your hands, my own blood freezing over, my body shattering into a million pieces. All I was trying to do was complete my job! I had my quarry, that freak Yuki, completely cornered! Yet, it was a sneak attack that brought the mighty Titan down! My soul could not rest, knowing that I had died so disgracefully! You could imagine my delight when my master revived me so that I could have a second chance… a second chance at killing you!" He cackled madly, a horrifying subversion of his normally stoic self.

Alexis' frown deepened. Her sword transformed, turning white as snow as she activated Shikai. Her purple mantle flapped in the gust of power that erupted form her body. The room's temperature lowered dramatically, so much so that both fighters could see their exhaled breath.

"Simple revenge, that's it? You have no honor at all, you're just a senseless attack dog. And bad dogs get put to sleep." She leapt towards the Seven Star General, their swords clashing. Alexis pushed Titan back, due to her momentum, but the demon was able to duck underneath her and kick the girl up towards the ceiling.

Alexis halted her upward momentum, and held her hand out, creating six sharp icicle spears. She threw towards Titan, who was able to dodge with ease. Alexis and Titan clashed again, her blue-white aura clashing with his black power. Quickly breaking off from him, Alexis created an enormous ice cube, pushing it into Titan, slamming him into the wall. Alexis smirked briefly, although she knew her attack did not finish Titan.

Indeed, the General melted the ice with a grey-hued Cero after a few seconds. "Well, well. It seems you've gotten a little stronger. You were able to repel that attack well, even without the use of your Bankai." Alexis said as the ribbon of Sode No Shirayuki fluttered slightly.

"I no longer have use of something like a mere Bankai. My master has granted me powers beyond those of my old self. The true powers of a demon." Titan growled.

"A mere Bankai?" Alexis repeated incredulously. "I hope you have the power to back up your ridiculous boasts. I have not yet even begun to fight, and you speak as if you're some great warrior." Alexis was firmly in what Jaden referred to as her "ice bitch" mode, and her words were sharp and insulting.

"Fine! If you are so eager to die, then I'll show you the true depths of my hatred! **Resurreccion: Akuma Shinsei (Demon's Rebirth)"**.

Black fumes erupted from Titan's body, shrouding the entire room in darkness. Alexis' breath hitched; Titan's aura felt exactly the same as Jaden's did. It was dark, warm, and smothering, seeming to suck the oxygen out of the very air itself. As Titan powered up, Alexis saw her friends running onto the balcony hanging above the basement.

Before the darkness completely swallowed her whole, she saw Jaden's golden eyes, and fear seized her again. How many times would those eyes haunt her?

Without thinking, Jaden leapt from the balcony railing into the black storm raging below. "Jaden, wait!" The ever-sensible Bastion attempted to grab his friend, but it was too late, and Jaden was lost from everyone else's vision.

"I'll follow him." Zane, drawing his sword, tried to go after Jaden. However, once he made contact with the darkness, Zane was immediately blown back.

Surprised, Zane decided to try again, using about 10% of his speed and flying towards the dark purple dome. No one was able to percieve his movement, but he was flung back to the balcony all the same. "Impossible! What is this strange power!?" Everyone was shocked and confused. "How could Jaden get past it while you couldn't?" murmured Crowler.

Alexis could barely see, but her eyes were sharp enough to make out Titan's horrifying new transformation. Black, visceral wings had sprouted from his back, tearing his trenchcoat. Thick, dark veins had grown visible on his skin, and his silver mask had begun glowing with sickly golden power. Alexis gripped her sword tightly, afraid to let her guard down for even a moment.

"Now, girl, are you prepared to face the depths of hell itself!?"

However, at that very moment, Jaden has crashed through the wall of darkness separating Alexis from her friends. His golden irises bored into Titan, anger throbbing in his gaze. "You're the guy who kidnapped my friend here? I thought you were dead, Titan." Jaden's voice lacked any of its usual friendliness.

"Y-you!" Titan stammered. "I remember you, you monster!"

Jaden looked momentarily confused. "Hmm, not what I expected you to say."

Alexis put a hand on Jaden's shoulder, avoiding his gaze. "Stand down, Jaden. I want to fight him on my own. He promised me a prize I could not refuse." She said earnestly. Jaden looked at her for a moment, before dropping out of his Bankai.

"Alright, I guess you deserve your turn. Just…be careful, alright? This guy is dangerous, not like the others."

Alexis frowned. "I can take care of myself. This fight is about more than just me, its got a bigger meaning than that." Jaden nodded. "Alright, I got you. Kick his ass!" Jaden said before flash stepping back onto the balcony.

"Jaden, how did you get in there? What's going on?" Zane snapped.

"What? You guys weren't able to enter that weird smoke?" Jaden scratched his head.

"No, we weren't. Now then, what makes you different, what allows you to interfere with that Hollow's Resurreccion?" Bastion wondered. Atticus stirred, his limp form being supported by Chumley. "Alexis…."

"Well, girl, I hope there will be no more interruptions." Titan leered. "There won't be. Jaden's interference was unwelcome. I am more than capable of handling you myself!"

"Very well then, I will show you just how terrifying I can be!" Titan jumped into the air, his wings flapping mightily.

With a swipe of his hand, a wall of blue flame materialized out of nowhere. Alexis slammed her palm onto the ground, a wall of blue ice rising out of the ground to cancel out the Hollow's attack. Suddenly, an ornate scimitar shaved a hair off of Alexis' head, the Obelisk ice queen barely avoiding Titan's lateral slash. "**Tsugi no Mai: Shiroryu!"** A white ice sculpture of a dragon blossomed out of her palm, but it was quickly melted by another stream of blue fire from Titan.

**"Joo Tame."** Titan extended his hand forward, and Alexis suddenly felt a sharp tugging sensation before she was flung back with great speed, slamming into the wall with great force. Before she could dislodge herself from the wall, Titan's knee slammed into her gut, causing her to cough up blood.

"Where's your confidence now, girl!?"

Alexis wasted no energy talking. "Bakudo #61, Rikujokoro!" Six bars of light immediately trapped Titan in the waist, allowing Alexis to get free from the wall. She quickly picked her sword up from the floor, and tried to drive it into Titan's skull.

Just as it seemed her strike was going to find its mark, Titan moved one of his wings in front of his head just in time to absorb the momentum of the lunge. The freezing power Alexis placed into the strike was enough to break titan's wing into frozen shards, causing the demon to cry out in excrutiating pain. Unfortunately, Titan was able to break free from her binding spell, lashing out at her with a gloved fist.

Alexis flew across the room, blood flowing from her scalp. As she was being thrown back, Alexis fired a wordless Hado #1, Sho spell at the pursuing Titan, halting the demon in his tracks. "San no Mai, Shirafune!" Alexis' ivory blade shot out, extending its point towards the advancing Hollow.

Titan made no effort to dodge, and sure enough, the blade reached his right shoulder. The ice blade bounced harmlessly off of Titan's hierro, and broke in half. Titan chuckled.

"Oh, my, what dramatic irony. You used that same move to kill me last time, and its useless now! While I've gotten stronger, you've stayed the same!" Alexis gasped, knowing that the Hollow's words were true. She had been slacking off in her training, mostly due to how easily she saw Jaden and the others handling the Seven Star Generals. She would have to redouble her efforts if she hoped to stay in the same league as the likes of Jaden, Chazz, and Zane.

Alexis lunged at Titan again, the demon avoiding the strikes with a high bound. Titan swung his scimitar down, cutting away Alexis' lavender cape. Along with the cape went Alexis' feeling of mystique and power. She felt exposed, vulnerable, wearing only a T-shirt and jeans in front of this threatening man.

"**Tokubetsu Kido: Shikiri Kakurega (Special Kido: White Mist Escape)!"** Alexis huffed before releasing a stream of silver haze from her mouth, quickly obscuring the already dark room with an opaque vapor.

"Most impressive. I take it that this is a variation on Hado #21." Titan's voice boomed. "It would take impressive reiatsu control to modify a preexisting spell." Despite his seemingly impressed claims, Titan sounded quite bored. "While the Red Smoke Escape is usually a way of retreating from a battle, you've modified it, so that it produces water vapor instead of smoke." He explained.

"Not me. This is a creation of a friend of mine, Bastion Misawa." Alexis said as she rapidly flash stepped around.

"Most impressive. The ingenuity, that is. Your pathetic attempts at stealth, on the other hand, are practically deplorable."

Alexis smirked. "You're wrong! I filled this room full of water vapor, and you think I intend to run and hide! I am Alexis Rhodes, the Obelisk Ice Queen, and I did not work my whole life to die here, at your hands! Some no Mai, Tsukishiro!" A blinding white light filled the dark void.

The purple haze was forcibly expelled, and Alexis' friends saw a bright cream-colored pillar of pure energy break through the roof of the abandoned dorm. "Is that….my sister's energy?" Atticus stuttered. "It sure is! That Titan guy is toast!" Jaden exclaimed.

Titan seemed to be completely immobile, trapped inside the crystalline structure. "Shatter!" Alexis released a wave of her reiatsu, breaking the ice apart in a brilliant explosion. "I guess you won't be able to tell me about my brother's memories, but that's the price I pay, I suppose."

Alexis suddenly felt a surge of pain in her shoulders. She had strained her body in the battle, and felt that an ice bath was in order. She chuckled somewhat, as she remembered the last time she took an ice bath, Jaden joked about how fitting the whole thing was, considering her powers.

She saw her friends, however, and the pain subsided immediately. Her joy spiked as she looked into her brother's friendly brown eyes again for what had seemed to be the first time in a long while. "Hey, you guys! I did it!"

"Did what?" The warped, demonic voice of the man once known as Titan drawled. An explosion of violet energy surrounded Alexis once more.

"Sister!" Atticus cried out. Jaden jumped from the railing once more, reaching his hand out to Alexis. "Lex, grab my hand! Please, you don't have to do this!" Jaden's cool persona dropped, and raw worry was evident in his countenance. Alexis lifted her head, smirking.

"You are sweet, but this is one fight I have to win by myself, no matter what. I swore it to myself, on my honor as a warrior. I'll be the one to send this monster back to the hellish depths he crawled out of." The dark vortex almost completely obscured Alexis from view. "Zane, get them out of here!" She shouted before being completely closed off from her friends.

Zane's eyes widened. "I understand. Alright, you heard her. We need to get out of here, and fast!"

"Why would we do that?" Chazz said, ever defiant.

"Would you stop questioning him, brat? I think I have an idea what she's going to do, and Zane is right, we need to get moving!" Crowler barked before heaving the agitated Atticus over both of his shoulders. The group quickly ran out of the abandoned dorm, which was already beginning to collapse.

"Wow, I didn't know you could lift Atticus by yourself, Professor Crowler." Bastion said after they had all run to a safe location. Zane suggested that the group make its way near the volcano, and they had come to rest on the black soil near the mountain's base. Chumley was wheezing heavily, as the group had almost ran a mile, which was far more than the portly Slifer was used to running.

"Guys, I think Chumley is going to puke, so please keep a customary distance from him." Jaden said as he laid on the ground, putting his hands behind his head. Chazz looked at him for a moment, before taking a seat as well. "What is Alexis going to do?" Syrus asked.

"An attack that poses just as much danger to herself as it does to her enemy. She's going to use Bankai." Zane stated grimly.

Alexis turned to face Titan, who seemed even more monstrous than ever, a nasty leer adorning his face. "Are you ready to face your end at last, girl?"

To his surprise, she actually smiled a little. "You are a fool. I'm going to crush you….and throw you into the wind!" Completely white reiatsu pooled around Alexis' feet, mystical white liquid forming from her pores.

"**Bankai. Hakka no Togame (White Mist Sentence)."**

She thrust her sword forward, and bleached energy filled the abandoned dorm, before destroying it completely. Whole kilometers of ocean froze over in the direction Alexis aimed her attack, and the beam of reiatsu reached higher and higher, being visible even from space as its light reflected upon the moon itself.

Freezing cold winds blew through the normally tropical island, a thin frost forming on the windows of every building on the island. Grass, flowers, and insects froze over and died when faced with the arctic chill. Jaden's streaking comet technique kept him warm, but everyone else found that they were shivering uncontrollably from the cold blast. The white light extended into the atmosphere, ripping clouds apart as the energy flew into space, finally dissipating around Venus. The blast was light years across in length.

The Abandoned Dorm building was completely gone. Titan, the sixth of the Seven Star Generals, was atomized from being so close to the Bankai attack. There was absolutely nothing left of him.

Alexis was frozen, an ornate ice sculpture herself. She wore a white kimono with a flowing collar and ribbons. A small ice flower formation sat at the center of her chest, and a tinkling icicle crown sat on top of her now-white hair.

Once the attack seemed to be finished, the key keepers rushed over to the epicenter of the blast site to encounter the frozen Alexis. She stared forward, unblinking.

"Well done, Alexis. It truly is a beautiful Bankai." Zane said with admiration. "Be careful unthawing, or else you'll hurt yourself."

Atticus, carried by Crowler, was gaping. "Wait, that attack came from my sister?" He questioned.

"I don't believe it either. I had no idea my Lexy was so powerful!" Jaden grinned. Chazz was shocked at the display; he could not take his eyes off of Alexis. The ice queen's hair began to return to its dirty blonde color, and she blinked rapidly.

"It's an impractical attack." Bastion cut in. "It completely shoots her reiatsu reserves, and it could potentially damage the planet if left unchecked." He said smoothly. Alexis had now completely unthawed, revealing her bloodied and wounded body. She immediately looked at her brother, and understanding seemed to dawn in Atticus' eyes.

"Alexis…I remember everything!"

"Oh, that's wonderful! I'm so glad!" Alexis embraced her brother.

"So, what happened then? How did you become one of the Seven Star Generals?" Chazz interjected.

"They were trying to have a nice moment, and you ruined it. However, I am curious as well. This is one of the only times I have ever seen Hollow reiatsu mixed with that of a human's." Crowler stated.

"Indeed, and there's a good reason for that. I, along with one of my classmates, a guy named Yusuke Fujiwara, were called to the Abandoned Dorm one day. Mind you, it wasn't abandoned back then. We were told that we were to receive honors for being in the top 5% of our class, as well as a banquet. Zane was invited as well, but luckily for him, he fell ill."

"Best bout of flu I've ever had." Zane interjected.

"And which teacher invited you to this?" Syrus asked, although at this point, everyone had an idea as to who it was.

"It was…Professor Banner!" No one was surprised. "Wait, I thought that was going to be a big reveal!" Atticus pouted slightly.

"Let's see; the guy is tall and skinny, he constantly has a creepy grin on his face, he scares the shit out of everyone, and he's in a position of influence with the Chancellor. Hell, I would have been surprised if he wasn't a traitor." Jaden shrugged.

"Yeah, the guy gave me the willies!" Chumley shivered. "He made me wet my pants once!" Syrus squeaked. "He always called on me to look after his pussy…cat." Bastion grimaced.

"So, he's in on it. I was attacked as soon as I entered the building, and Yusuke and I had no opportunity to defend ourselves. To put it simply, we were speed blitzed. This happened about a year ago, and for that entire time period, I was possessed by a particularly malignant Hollow known as Nightshroud. I have no idea what happened to Yusuke, but hopefully he was lucky enough to have died right away. I was forced to do horrible things, all in the name of a master I know nothing about. I'm so sorry for what I've done." Atticus looked down, clearly getting choked up.

"It's alright. It's not your fault, Atticus." Zane put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You're one of us now. No one can hold you accountable for what you've done in the past. However, I am curious. Do you retain the ability to use your Hollow reiatsu?" Bastion, for all of his previous sensitivity, could no longer contain his curiosity. Atticus, for his part, did not recognize the rudeness of the query.

"I don't know how it works, but I don't believe I could use without wearing that weird black mask I had on earlier. A few of you guys who fought me would remember."

"Right, but Jaden broke that mask. Speaking of which, do you have your Zanpakuto anymore?" Syrus asked.

"No. I brought it with me, but it's gone now. I may have to see if I can channel my powers into another sword. As it is, though, I doubt I'll ever be able to fight like I used to. Frankly, I don't feel like fighting very much anymore." Atticus said mournfully.

"Look, let's all get some rest. We will deal with Banner when he comes." Bastion suggested.

"Right; final exams are coming up soon for the students! Why, it's my favorite time of year already!" Crowler said cheerfully as the sun began to rise.

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the eighteenth chapter of Kids With Swords!**

**I hoped I did Alexis justice in her big battle against the resurrected Hollow Titan. Likewise, I hope you all found their characterizations and powers to be entertaining. **

**Just a small warning, the next chapter will be climactic in many ways, and a few logistical alterations will be made to canon to produce a world that I hope you all will find to be more fleshed out and complex than canon. It's definitely an exciting one next week!**


	19. THE UNPROMISED TOMORROW

_"Life is beautiful because it is brief, but it also brief because it is beautiful."_

Crowler was right; final exams were on the immediate horizon for the students of Duel Academy, and only two weeks remained in the semester. Many of the kids were goofing off on the waterfront, drinking heavily in the daytime, and sneaking into unused classrooms to have sex. Even the normally straight-edge students were getting in on the debauchery, mostly as a way of coping with the insane academic pressure placed on them by their rich, Wall Street parents.

Jaden gleefully partied, having absolutely no tests to look forward to due to his duties as a key keeper. Syrus and Chumley were completely immersed in their schoolwork, Chumley being determined to pass his exams this time around. Chazz started to get back into his training, his depression having seemingly subsided, at least for the moment. He spent a lot of time running outside in the sun, enjoying the temporary happiness briefly granted to him by the influx of dopamine and Vitamin D.

Alexis was almost always doing something with her brother, making up for lost time. They played tennis, or sparred, as Atticus got a new katana, which he hoped to turn into a new Zanpakuto.

Atticus integrated easily into the group. A jovial guy who was an unabashed pervert and hardcore party animal, he and Jaden became fast friends. He often went surfing with the young Slifer, and even taught Syrus how to handle the waves. He even offered to teach Chazz how to play the Ukelele, but the moody boy refused, which endlessly confused Atticus. All in all, he was dissimilar in temperament to his sister, but they still managed to get along well, although Alexis was frequently annoyed by her brother's antics.

Zane found himself barraged by letters from the International Pro League, a circuit where powerful swordfighters competed for the entertainment of the masses. Zane found himself seriously considering their starting offers of $35,000 a match.

Bastion had retreated into his lab, redoubling his efforts into researching Human and Hollow reiatsu. He was very curious as to why Jaden could bypass Titan's barrier, while Zane could not. He seemed to be the only one who was curious about such things.

A substitute teacher was hired to complete the science courses formerly instructed by Banner. Zane stormed down to Headmaster Sheppard's office, wanting to know what the old man thought about Banner's apparent betrayal.

"This is very distressing news, Zane." Sheppard said as he tented his fingers.

"Indeed, sir. This means that only three keys are left in our hands." Zane said, trying his best to affect a grim tone.

"The keys are kept by Mr. Princeton, Alexis, and Yuki, correct?" The headmaster said sharply.

"Yes, sir." Zane decided to bow, although at this point he was skirting dangerously close to overdoing it.

"Then it is imperative that they are protected at all costs. I suppose they all should be sleeping in close proximity, although Alexis being in the same room as Yuki is unsettling to me. Perhaps Yuki and Mr. Princeton can share, while Alexis can use Mr. Princeton's room."

"I will inform them, sir."

"As I expected you to, Mr. Truesdale."

"NO WAY! NOT WITH HIM!" Jaden, Chazz, and Alexis said at the same time when Zane informed them of their imminent living arrangements.

"For how long?!" Jaden wailed. "Just try to last until the semester is over. Then, we won't have to deal with the old man's nonsense for three whole months." Zane grumbled, although he was amused at his friend's predicament.

"I'm not gonna kick my bros out of the dorm!" Jaden complained. "

I'm not sleeping in the same room as him!" Chazz snarled.

"Same here!" Alexis said.

"Well, too bad. Alexis, you can sleep in Chazz's room, while Jaden, Chumley, Syrus, and Chazz can share one room. Now play nice, kids." With that, Zane flash stepped away, leaving three irate key keepers in his wake.

"This is a load of bullshit." Chazz grumbled as he threw his suitcase near the inflatable air mattress he would be sleeping on.

"For once, I agree with you." Syrus grunted.

"Hey, it's not so bad, Chazz. After all, you only had to move a couple of doors down. It's Alexis who got the raw end of the deal. She's gonna have to move all of her stuff halfway across the island." Jaden shrugged

"It wasn't that bad." Alexis had appeared in the doorway, a duffel bag slung over a white tank top and blue shorts.

"You look nice today, Lex." Jaden said while trying his best to sound nonchalant. "Thanks, that's nice of you to say. I would say the same for you boys, but I'm pretty sure you two wear the same jackets every day."

"Hey, at least we change clothes more often than Chumley!" Jaden fired back. She laughed at that. "Alright, well, I'll be taking your room, Chazz."

"Hmph. Whatever." He said tersely.

A tense moment passed, before Jaden asked, "Hey Lex, do you wanna go fishing later?" She briefly nodded.

"Sounds good, let's go in about an hour." She briefly glanced at Chazz before leaving the room.

Jaden, Chazz, and Chumley looked at the stone-faced Chazz. "I don't get the drama between you two." Jaden said while scratching his head.

"Yeah, talk about UST." Syrus chirped. Chazz glared at Jaden, a hint of his anger reaching his eyes, then subsiding in tiredness.

"Mutual disdain, I suppose."

"That's a shame. Life is too short to hold grudges, my man." Jaden responded.

"I will not compromise who I am just to meet her standards." Chazz snarled.

Jaden shrugged. "I can respect that."

Jaden and Alexis went down to the beach and threw out a line, although catching fish was the least of their collective concerns. They looked out at the shoreline from the pier they were sitting on, seeing droves of students out of boats, jetskis, and surfboards. "It's good to see so many people have fun, huh?" Jaden said cheerily.

"Yeah, it is. That'll be us after this is over." Alexis sighed.

"Hey, what's with you and Chazz? You really seem to hate him."

"Are you kidding me? He's arrogant, mean, and he has some weird crush on me. That's enough, not to mention that since we're both key keepers, I actually have to interact with him on a semi-regular basis." She said quickly.

"Well….that actually is a valid argument. I don't think he's such a bad guy, though. He's had a hard life, and he's had to go it alone. I feel bad for him." Jaden shrugged.

"I don't care if he's had to struggle before, it's no excuse for the way he acts. Look, I get that if you were in charge, everyone would hold hands and be best friends, but that's not how real life works. I don't have to be friends with Chazz, for any reason." She seemed edgy now, and Jaden wisely decided to drop the subject.

Later that evening, Jaden returned to his room, slightly sunburnt. Syrus handed him the Aloe before Jaden crashed on the couch next to the napping Chumley. He threw on headphones and listened to some music for about ten minutes before taking them off.

"Where's Chazz?" he asked Syrus, who was on his computer.

"He just got back from training, he's taking a shower. Do you wanna go eat soon?" Ever since Banner's disappearance, the Slifer Red dorm had been supplied with food and toiletries by their Ra Yellow compatriots, drastically increasing the quality of life in the building.

"That sounds great!" At the mention of food, Chumley rose from his slumber, and the trio stomped downstairs to the mess hall, where they promptly helped themselves to some turkey. A few other Slifer Reds were eating, Chazz among them, his hair still slightly damp from his shower. Hesitantly, Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley sat at the same table as him. To their relief, Chazz did not seem to object.

"Man, kinda sucks that Banner is gone, but at least the food here is halfway decent now." Chumley said in-between mouthfuls of meat.

"Chumley, that's a horrible, yet true thing to say!" Syrus said.

"I still can't believe Banner might have been involved with the Hollows. He was a good friend. Remember that time he gave us a bunch of Snickers bars after Halloween? That was super cool of him." Jaden said wistfully.

"Well, he was allergic to peanuts." Chumley added. Jaden gave Chumley a sideways glare after her said that. "But I'm sure that had very little to do with it." Chumley quickly amended.

"He always made me eat his carrots. Even though I hate carrots." Chazz frowned.

"He made me wet myself once." Syrus sobbed.

"Ok, so maybe Banner was a fucking asshole, but I still find it hard to believe that he was evil."

"Well, Atticus didn't hollowfy himself." Chazz then sipped from a bottle of Lipton green tea. "True."

"Well, Chazz, what do you like to do to relax? Do you wanna play a video game with us later?" Syrus asked hopefully.

"No."

"Alrighty then. Do you wanna smoke with us later?" Jaden questioned.

"No!" Chazz snorted distastefully.

"How about movies, do you like those?" Jaden rebounded. Chazz now seemed to consider his offer. "What movie?"

"How about Star Wars?"

"The original trilogy, you mean."

"Of course."

Chazz genuinely smiled. "That's what I'm talking about."

Their living arrangements continued for two more days, and it seemed as though time could not move any slower. The inevitable storm was coming, and the academy's warriors subconsciously prepared for when the clouds rolled in, both metaphorically, and literally, as there actually was a thunderstorm that night.

Jaden, Alexis, and Chazz happened to be eating together that night, which was naturally a very tense occasion. Jaden tried to joke with both of them, but he got very little reaction from either of his friends. It was almost a relief when Jaden saw a strange mark of light shine on the door.

"What is that?!" Another Slifer student yelled when they saw the mark. The insignia was that of a circle with a dot in the center.

"Everybody, get out of here!" Chazz yelled, his voice being a surprisingly good motivator when angered. The other Slifer Red students scrambled back to their rooms, leaving half-eaten plates all over. All three key keepers immediately activated Shikai, and Jaden launched a wind blast at the door, blowing it off of its hinges.

However, the mark remained for a moment, before blinking out of existence. The symbol then reappeared a few feet behind of where it was originally. "Whatever that mark is, it wants us to follow it."

"One sec, I'll go grab Sy and Chum." Jaden said.

"There's no time! They'd just get in the way. Let's go!" Chazz barked as he threw on his black trenchcoat. Alexis handed Jaden a red sweatshirt as she zipped up a white raincoat. They ran out of the dorm, pursuing the strange mark with relentless anticipation. They ran deep into the forest, the night growing ever darker. Lightning struck a few trees, and they had to be careful to avoid one falling over on them.

Finally, the trio reached the forest's infamous clearing, its normally clear blue pond now a murky gray due to the storm. Jaden heard a pained mewling and looked between two trees to find Professor Banner's ever-loyal cat, Phaorah.

"Hey, you! What are you doing all the way out here?" Jaden attempted to pick the cat up, but the feline shyed away from his touch. "I'm surprised Banner didn't take the cat with him, but maybe he just didn't care about it." Alexis said.

"Hey, was that coffin there before?" Chazz looked further into the trees, finding an out-of-place tomb there. All three of the warriors had to work together to open the heavy lid, but the contents of the box made them regret this decision.

Inside the coffin was a mummified Banner, still wearing his shirt and tie with starched slacks. His skin was the hue of an old banana, and wrinkles were etched into his face. "He's dead!" Jaden exclaimed in shock.

"Gross. That's weird though. Banner hasn't been missing for very long. It's strange that his body decomposed so quickly." Alexis coolly deduced.

"No battle wounds on him. The cause of death certainly is a mystery." Chazz offered.

"All will revealed in due time, children." A scary, layered voice with a mechanical edge called out to the key keepers, setting three sets of teeth on edge. A tall man in a billowing beige cape stood before the group, a dark blue mask with yellow eye slots obscuring his face. Red tassels streamed from his shirt, giving the man an unearthly countenance.

"Ah, hello there sir. You wouldn't happen to know why our teacher is in this coffin, do you?" Jaden said with what he hoped was a diplomatic voice.

"I am not here to help you, my boy. I am here to test your skills, as well as to acquire your keys. I need them greatly." The man rasped.

"I take it you are the seventh of the Hollow Generals?" Alexis said as her grip on her sword tightened.

"That is correct. I am Amnael. I am the final, as well as the most powerful of the Hollows. There are none among my species who are my equal." Amnael proclaimed.

"Then in that case, you are our final obstacle, our last battle." Chazz said as he drew his sword with a flourish.

"And if we beat you, that means I can move back to my own room!" Alexis laughed.

"You would do well to give up. I don't believe the three of you, even with your extraordinary strength, can defeat me. Your wills are weak, your motives selfish." Amnael said condescendingly.

"I don't want to hear yet another speech about how we're all assholes. Tell me how you killed Banner. Supposedly, he was quite powerful." Chazz snarled.

"The man you knew as Banner is gone forever. He is no longer of any concern to you. You should be worried about yourselves." Amnael drew a katana, and entered a stance.

"Come. Attack me together."

Jaden immediately raised the ground from underneath the Hollow General, trapping him inside a tomb of dirt. Alexis grinned at how cheap the attack was before freezing a layer of ice over the earth. To their shock, however, the prison they created was completely destroyed by Amnael's battle aura, a storm of black and red energy. The Hollow had not even moved from his initial combat stance.

"Well? Are you finished with your warmup?" Amnael mocked. "I warn you, you will have to use those techniques of yours in a different way than you ever have before." Without warning, Chazz flash stepped behind Amnael, transforming his Fuuinji into dual scimitars in the process. Chazz relentlessly assaulted the Hollow, his strikes pounding away at his enemy's sword.

"Good job, Mr. Princeton. Your swordsmanship truly is a privilege to fight against. However, it is not enough." Amnael easily repelled Chazz using a brutish swing, knocking the black-clad fighter's swords out of his hands. Amnael kicked Chazz in the chest, launching him through a tree.

Alexis went for a low kick, hoping to catch him off-guard. Amnael seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, as he hopped over her leg with grace. From the ground, Alexis fired a Hado #33, Sokatsui wordlessly. Amnael batted away the azure fireball with a gloved hand. Alexis scrambled to her feet, and blocked a lateral sword strike from her enemy just in time. Alexis produced a stream of ice, which Amnael was forced to block with his sword as he was pushed back.

Amnael used sonido, but Alexis was able to perceive where he was going and shot another beam of ice at him, directing the flow from the tip of her sword.

"Miss Rhodes, a tactical genius and wielder of the most beautiful Zanpakuto in Duel Academy." Amnael stated as he ducked under the ice beams Alexis fired at him.

"You seem to know a lot about us. I don't think it'll help you, though."

"On the contrary, Miss Rhodes…" Amnael disappeared.

"What!? I can't track his movements!" "…I know all of your strategies." Amnael slashed Alexis, her timely movement preventing a fatal wound. A spurt of blood came from her shoulder as her right sleeve fell off of her coat.

"Hey, bastard! Why don't you pick on me instead!" Jaden was enveloped in the crimson power of his Streaking Comet technique tackling Amnael into the air. Jaden used a combination of kicks and sword slashes to keep the Hollow on the defensive. Amnael and Jaden battled in the air, the force of their clashing reiatsu bowling over trees in the forest.

"Gokakkyu!" Jaden let a storm of fire escape his mouth and fired it towards Amnael.

"Jaden, you're the type of kid that picks Rock in Rock, Paper, Scissors every single time. **Cero**." Strangely, Amnael's Cero glowed white-hot, and easily overtook Jaden's grand fireball. Jaden was blown back by the Cero, but he did not suffer too much serious damage. "He's strong!" Jaden grunted as he righted himself in midair before landing next to Alexis and Chazz.

Amnael softly touched down in front of the trio, looking distinctly unruffled. "Well, it seems attacking me one-on-one didn't work. Perhaps you should consider a different plan." He stated tactfully.

"No way, guys. Teamwork is probably what he wants us to do, for whatever reason." Alexis snapped. "Either way, he is definitely no weakling. We'll have to use our Bankai, Chazz. As for you, Lex…" He turned to her. "If we can't beat him, you might have to use your Bankai as well."

"That won't be happening. My Bankai is dangerous and impractical as it is. My reiatsu reserves still haven't completely recovered from using it against Titan. I won't use it unless there truly is no other option. I'll offer support while you and Chazz engage him from the front." Alexis reasoned.

Jaden nodded. "Alright, Chazz, let's do this!"

Chazz sneered. "I didn't want to team up with the likes of you in the first place, but it looks like there's no other choice. Know this, Jaden. After we've defeated this fool, I want my rematch!" White-Green power leaked from Chazz's body.

"Sounds good to me. First things first, though!" Black and gold energy exploded from Jaden's sword. The two warriors' aura converged, creating a rainbow spectrum.

"BANKAI!" they shouted at the same time, their bodies completely lost in their own power.

When the smoke cleared, both of the rivals were at their maximum power. Jaden's golden eyes twinkled, while Chazz's pure black sword gleamed in the moonlight. The amount of trees were damaged from the previous battle gave the warriors a view of the starry sky above them, as the storm from before had completely cleared. "Impressive…" Both Alexis and Amnael muttered.

"Yasashi Yami!" Jaden yelled. "Tomi Koen Buki." Chazz growled softly.

"I hope you don't steal my spotlight, Princeton." Jaden smirked.

"Hmph. You can't possibly believe your own hype that much." Chazz replied.

"You know, Chazz, I'll be watching all of your techniques," Jaden said, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Yuki, just shut up. Now, we'll charge him together on the count of three. One…two…th-" Jaden took off as soon as Chazz started to saying "three", much to the black-haired boy's annoyance. "Get back here, you over-eager-"

Jaden reached Amnael much quicker than the seventh general had been expecting, and the Slifer landed a spinning kick to his side without pause.

Jaden forwent swordplay for pure fisticuffs, using his enhanced speed to duck and weave between Amnael's sword slashes. Eventually, the hollow landed a solid elbow to Jaden's face, sending the Slifer backwards with a loud crack. Suddenly, Chazz's sword clashed with Amnael's body armor. The Hollow was shocked to find that a small fracture had formed where Chazz's sword hit. Amnael quickly slashed at Chazz in the stomach, drawing a small amount of blood from him. Unfortunately for the Hollow general, Jaden had returned with his sword, his black aura spiraling in flashes around him.

Jaden and Chazz assaulted Amnael in tandem, their combined attacks proving to be overwhelming. Although they had never fought together before, they timed their strikes with instinctual precision. Amnael had to switch up his defensive manuvers rapidly in order to avoid being skewered by the two of them. Their styles were perfect complements to each other; Chazz's strikes forceful and staccato, while Jaden's were smooth and flowing. Although the two warriors were tremendous individually, it was their rivalry, their constant desire to outdo each other, that made their alliance so effective.

"Check this out, priss! **Burst Impact**!" Jaden shouted to Chazz before launching Amnael with a well-placed fire cannon. Chazz flash stepped into the air to halt Amnael's momentum. "

Was that your best shot, Yuki? Let me show you how a real warrior fights!" Chazz drop-kicked Amnael back down to the ground with a satisfying THWACK.

Jaden was thrilled, a strong sense of confidence bolstering him. Fighting alongside Chazz was completely different than fighting alongside Alexis, Chumley, or Syrus. They were supportive and encouraging, while Chazz clearly would not go out of his way to help him, and would not expect Jaden to assist him either. It demanded him to push out more power than he ever had before.

Chazz was not accustomed to fighting in a team, but he was quickly adapting to the idea of having an equal partner. Jaden's tenacity was infectious, and Chazz found himself enjoying this battle more than any other before it.

Amnael recomposed himself quickly. "Well, how do you feel now, Hollow?" Chazz arrogantly boasted. Away from the battle zone, Alexis was gathering reiatsu, prepared to jump in the fight.

"That was an impressive display. It seems it is time for me to get serious as well." Red energy rolled off of Amnael's body in the form of smoke.

Alexis landed next to Jaden and Chazz. "Nice job, boys."

Jaden smirked. "Let me guess, you want a piece of him too, Lex?"

"That's right. Let me go at him first. You two can have whatever's left when I'm done, got it?" She declared.

"As if. I don't take orders from you!" Chazz shot at Amnael again, only to be easily swatted away by the Hollow. "**Hado #40, Rezasakusu**!" A dozen teal-colored lasers shot out of Alexis' palm, racing towards Amnael, who sliced through them with his katana. However, the distraction was a success, as Jaden shoulder-tackled Amnael again, this time pressing his attack. They flew out of the forest, Jaden's aura red-hot. Amnael flipped over, before kicking Jaden into the ocean they had begun to fly over.

Chazz engaged Amnael while Alexis flashed over to the waterfront. Jaden resurfaced, coughing and hacking saltwater. "Are you OK there bud?" Alexis crossed her arms from above him. "Yeah, although I'm all soggy now. My underwear's gonna ride up really bad-"

"No one cares about your underwear, Jaden! Let's do a cool combination attack. That'll get him for sure." "And what sort of combination attack should we try?" "Well, how about-"

Chazz broke off from Amnael. "This guy is unflappable. I feel like I haven't gotten anywhere, it's like trying to push against a brick wall."

Suddenly, a gigantic dragon made out of pure ice was launched at Amnael, causing both Amnael himself and Chazz to freak out at the sheer randomness and inexplicable badassery of the attack. Amnael launched a large cero at the dragon, shattering it to pieces. "What nonsense is this!?"

"Chazz, attack him now!" Alexis yelled at Chazz as Amnael destroyed the ice dragon. Chazz gulped, then nodded. Blue-white energy swirled around his obsidian sword, coalescing into an enormous crescent-moon shape.

"Now, Hollow, prepare to face my wrath! All of my frustration, all of my rage, all of my will to succeed is in this attack! **GETSUGA TENSHO**!" The lunar fang hit the off-guard Amnael dead-on, causing an explosion of spirit energy.

Jaden and Alexis flew up to Chazz, who was tired from launching such a massive attack. "Shit…that took a lot of power. Hey, what was up with that random ice dragon?" He huffed.

"Jaden created his "Genzai No Ryu" and I froze it, therefore creating an ice dragon." Alexis explained simply.

"…that's it? No fancy Japanese name?" "Not enough time to think of one." Jaden shrugged. "Good job on that Getsuga by the way, Chazz. Looks like it got him good!"

When the smoke settled, Amnael was missing an arm, and was clearly in immense pain. His hood was gone, and his mask was shattered to pieces. However, when the three warriors saw his face, they were taken aback in shock.

It was Professor Banner, although his visage was horribly deformed. Ugly veins bulged all over his seemingly older-looking face, and his hair, formerly black, was now the color of whitened ashes.

"Hey Amnael, you look a lot like this teacher of ours. Do you know Professor Banner?" Jaden asked quizzically. "Actually, I'm pretty sure that is Banner." Alexis said with trepidation. "How can this be? We saw Banner's corpse!" Chazz questioned loudly.

"Yes, it is true, children. I am the one you knew as Banner." Banner trembled, amused at the differing reactions the three students had towards the reveal.

"You've been a Hollow all along? How? We would've sensed that something was off with your reiatsu." Chazz said.

"You know, come to think of it, I've never sensed any life energy from Banner. Like, ever. I just assumed he was suppressing it, but now, I'm not so sure." Jaden stroked his chin.

"Children, do you know why I took the alias "Amnael"?" Banner questioned. The three key keepers noticed that the man's voice, once having a slimy, oily quality to it, was now raspy and bedraggled in its delivery. "Nope." All three students resounded.

"It was the name of a famous alchemist." Banner explained. "Alchemy? You mean that ridiculous pseudoscience about turning metal to gold or some nonsense like that?" Chazz snorted. "You laugh now, young Mr. Princeton, but alchemy is indeed real.

You see, like you three, I was once a promising young academy student with unlimited potential. I attended the East Academy in Europe, Germany to be exact. I traveled the world, in search of power and glory like so many other young fools. I found myself scouring ancient tombs in Egypt, lost and forgotten records making themselves known to me. Everything was going so well for me, I felt like I was on top of the world. But of course, pride goeth before the fall. I was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Hereditary, they said. I was so upset. I had so much to live for. From that point on, I chose to sever my earthly bonds. I would not be defeated, even by my own body."

"So what did you do?" Jaden asked.

"It leads back to alchemy. There were no depths I was unwilling to plumb in search of a cure for my affliction. Alchemy, black magic, Hollows- all were fair game if it meant I could achieve the greatness I was always destined to reach. The answer lied in that great weapon, the Zanpakuto. My zanpakuto's powers involved creating constructs out of clay. After much experimentation, I was able to create a Homunculus, an artificial body. My brain still lives, but it is a half-life, a shadow of true human vitality. The Homunculus is a temporary body at best. You see, I no longer have a soul."

"You no longer have a soul? Then how can you use a Zanpakuto?" Alexis quickly interrogated.

Banner chuckled, looking at his sword. "This? This is no Zanpakuto. This is nothing more than a regular sword. I bought it from a department store, actually."

"Hopefully you didn't walk into the store with that outfit." Alexis snarked.

"Anyways, you're a clone, basically." Chazz reasoned. "And what does any of this have to do with the Hollows, or whatever it is Sheppard is keeping in his office? I don't get it!" Jaden was highly frustrated.

"You children do not grasp what it means to possess those keys. What you guard with them can change the world. It is the Philosopher's Stone, the secret to immortality. The keys, being imbued in spirit energy, will not work for me. I will need one of you open the box with all seven of the keys so that I may gain access to eternal life. I created the Seven Star Generals for the purpose of collecting the keys. I spied on Bastion Misawa's research into the relationship between human and Hollow research, and I was able to learn Hollow techniques and imbue them into Homunculi. This allowed me to resurrect powerful fighters to be my servants. Some hollows, like Nightshroud, joined me voluntarily. Either way, my end goal is in my reach." Banner expoused.

"You mean that you're willing to endanger the entire human world if it means you get to live forever?" Jaden asked with a heavy glare.

"I thought you were all about freedom, Jaden." Banner said simply.

"You're hurting others to advance your own selfish goals! I won't allow it!" Jaden flared his aura again.

"In that case, come fight me! Prove to me which one of us deserves to have his name in the halls of history!" Both fighters flew at each other, their blades clashing with renewed force.

"C'mon Chazz, you gotta keep fighting. I know you're tired, but we can only beat him with the three of us working together." Alexis tugged on Chazz's arm.

The black haired boy rescinded from her touch. "I'm not going to give up. Not now, not ever." Alexis looked him with slight respect, then they both rushed into the fray.

Jaden lost himself in the battle. Every swing, every block, every dodge was completely instinctual. His mind was a void of white noise, every fiber of his being directed towards the singular goal of victory. He seamlessly integrated fire, air, and water into his attack patterns, not even noticing that his reiatsu stores were beginning to grow short. Banner fought Jaden with equal determination, his will just as unshakeable as the younger man's.

Banner launched several point-blank Cero at Jaden, who was launched backwards, burns forming on his exposed skin, his clothes becoming charred. Chazz and Alexis kicked Banner in the back of his head, sending him spiraling towards the ground. Banner's feet sank into the warm sand of Duel Academy's famous shoreline.

Chazz pursued, his body crying out in protest due to reiatsu exhaustion. He flash stepped behind Banner, but he was met with a mule kick to the face, giving him a rapidly swelling right eye. As Chazz fell, he fried a wordless Hado #1, Sho at banner, who was pushed ten feet away from Chazz in the process. Chazz picked himself up slowly, discarding his torn black trenchcoat and revealing his physically impressive upper body, molded by months of training and survival.

Chazz's wheezing was highly audible as he clashed swords with the seventh Hollow General. "You've worked very hard, haven't you, Mr. Princeton? Months of surviving in the wilderness. Days upon days of hellish training. All of that anger has been festering inside for a long time, all that hatred. Working with the same man you swore to defeat must be painful."

Chazz's right eye had become purple and swollen. "I said I'm done listening to speeches!" After a mutual parry, both Chazz's and Banner's swords flew out of their hands. Chazz punched Banner with what seemed to be super-speed.

"This is my one chance!"

Chazz kicked Banner into the air, but disasterously, he tripped on the loose sand. Chazz fell flat on his face, allowing Banner to right himself in the air.

Banner flew down to grab his sword, which was embedded in a dirt clod. However, as soon as he picked it up, he was forced to block a rapidly extending blade that was coming right towards him. "San no Mai, Shirafune!" Alexis called as she pushed Banner away from Chazz. Banner ducked under Sode no Shirayuki, and Sonido'd towards Alexis.

"How can he still be fighting so effectively, even without an arm?" Alexis snapped around, blocking his vertical strike.

"I have always admired your ability to keep a cool head during a fight, Miss Rhodes." Banner opened his eyes for the first time, revealing startling blood-red irises. Alexis jumped backwards, throwing dozens of icicle spears at Banner, who repelled them with sword strikes.

"It really is a shame that you're opposing me. It doesn't have to be this way, you know. You and your friends should join forces with me. Together, we could discover so many of this world's secrets! You could become my students!" Banner offered excitedly.

"I refuse!" Alexis declared immediately. "You dare think that I would ally with you, after how you enslaved my own brother!? I won't allow this to stand!" She asserted fiercely.

"That arrogance will get you killed, my dear." Banner sighed in resignation before clashing with her again. Alexis' lack of physical strength meant that she usually wanted to avoid prolonged fencing with an opponent, relying primarily on her vast energy reserves to employ long-range kido and ice attacks with her Shikai. However, she was having trouble creating distance against Banner, who seemed to specialize in close-range fighting.

Eventually, her defenses slipped up, leading to a hard kick from Banner to her torso, causing her body to skip across the ocean like a stone because of the force. The wind was knocked out of her, and she struggled to stay above water as she desperately sucked air.

Jaden's eyes flashed in anger. "You bastard!" Jaden punched the off-guard Banner in the face, rage distorting his normally boyish features.

However, Banner caught his follow-up punch, while Jaden was able to catch Banner's blade between the fingers of his other hand, using expert reiatsu control to keep it from cutting his phalanges.

"I thought you were all about protecting freedom, Jaden. I don't understand why you are trying to prevent me from exercising mine." Banner tried to argue with Jaden as they struggled.

"You've done horrible things in search of immortality. I don't even get what the big deal is about living forever anyways."

"My boy, you are shortsighted to think that way!" They broke off, exchanging sword strikes with raw ferocity. "There are so many mysteries in this world, so many secrets to discover. If a man could live forever, then he could potentially transcend the boundary between humans and hollows, and take his place among the gods!" Banner raved.

"I bet it would get boring. Life is great, but living forever takes away what it means to live, really. The peaks and valleys of pleasure and pain, the raw adrenaline that comes from being in danger, the bonds one shares with loved ones… all of that is gone if one becomes immortal. Without death, life becomes meaningless." Jaden reasoned.

"How can life become boring if it is always changing? You should know best about changes, Jaden. That Zanpakuto of yours has always fascinated me, you know. Being able to control the four elements- an uncommonly powerful ability. Somehow, that is not a normal Zanpakuto. Somehow, you, of all people, have discovered how to transcend the limits of humans and hollows."

"What? That's not true! I am not a Hollow!" Jaden lifted mounds of dirt and rock from the ground, hurling them at Banner, if only to get him to shut up. Banner repulsed them by expelling his energy into an explosive wave, blowing Jaden back.

"After you've given up your pointless resistance, perhaps I will investigate that abomination you call a Zanpakuto." Banner hit Jaden with the butt of his sword, and Jaden felt one of his ribs crack before he was sent skidding across the ground.

Alexis struggled to the shoreline, desperately hacking saltwater from her sore throat. The effort was nearly causing her to vomit, but she eventually struggled to her feet, and hobbled over to where Chazz was, the boy holding his knee in pain. "Are you OK?" She asked. "Of course I am! If you think that this is enough to keep me down, you are delusional!"

"Then let's go, you whiny baby."

Banner saw Chazz and Alexis coming with ease, and he decided to style on them. He threw his sword into the air, the blade spinning slowly as it rose. He caught Alexis and Chazz's swords in his hands as they attempted to rush him from his left and right. Charging his palm with red reiatsu, he slammed his open hand into Alexis' torso, sending her flying into air. She was knocked unconcscious from the force of the attack, and she crumpled with a horrible cracking noise against the ground.

Chazz's pupils shrank; he momentarily lost all rational thought, a familiar rush of rage tainting his vision. "You're gonna pay for this!"

Banner grabbed his sword from the air right before Chazz slammed his blade against Banner's. Chazz's strikes were sloppy and imprecise, his loss of focus greatly affecting his fighting. Banner spun his sword briefly before lunging at Chazz.

His sword found its mark, impaling Chazz through the torso.

Chazz hacked up blood, his eyes dimming. "Chazz!" Jaden flew as fast as he could towards Banner. His time with the Streaking Comet technique was growing short. Jaden had used it more than he ever had before, and the battle had dragged on for over an hour. Banner was forced to retract his sword from Chazz's body to block Jaden's.

Banner spitefully kicked Chazz to the ground. The black-haired boy clutched his torso, trying to avoid as much blood loss as possible. He barely hung on to the fringes of consciousness, his willpower the only thing keeping him alive. "Alexis...please don't die…." He whispered before collapsing.

Jaden blocked and parried Banner's strikes with only inches keeping him from death. "Well, it seems you're able to put up a little better fight than your pathetic friends." Banner mocked.

"As I recall, one of my 'pathetic friends' took off that arm of yours!" Jaden went for a kick, Banner jumping backwards to avoid it.

"Don't you see? No human can challenge me anymore! Even without an arm, I am the closest thing to God!" Banner shouted. A lateral slash sent Jaden to the ground, blood leaking from his chest.

"Shit…" Jaden was on one knee, angry defiance in his face.

"Goodbye, Jaden. It is regrettable you had to defy me. You were like a son to me."

However, Banner's blade was stopped. An electric-blue flash had stopped the blow. Syrus and Chumley had arrived, and they saved Jaden from certain death.

"You guys! How?" Jaden laughed in relief. Banner stepped back, briefly. "You guys didn't come back from dinner, so we got worried. I figured if there was a fight going on, your reiatsu was being masked somehow. Chumley and I are here to even the odds." Syrus was shining with a new energy about him, pure courage etched in his face.

Banner laughed, an ugly chuckle of derision. "Oh really? And what are you two going to do against me, a god among men?"

"Ignore him, Sy, he's wrong!" Jaden replied passionately.

"Jaden, I'm going to get Chazz and Alexis to the hospital, they look like they're in rough shape!" Chumley took off his Slifer Red Jacket, tying it around Chazz's stab wound like a tourniquet. He heaved his classmate over his meaty shoulder.

"Thank you, Chumley! You're the best, man!" Jaden smiled.

"If you think any of you are leaving here today, you are sadly mistaken! I alone decide who lives and who dies!" Banner charged another red Cero at the end of his sword, aimed directly at Chumley and Chazz. Suddenly, Banner was forced to avoid Syrus' shikai, Hikari Fukushu. The azure lightsaber nearly cleaving his ordinary sword in half. Banner leapt out of the way, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"I'll have to watch out for that sword. It's able to destroy my own in one blow if it hits." Banner surmised. Jaden and Syrus stood adjacent to one another, sliding into offensive stance.

"You know, it's been a long time since we've fought side by side, bro. I hope you're not afraid of this guy, cause I'm not." Jaden said.

"I am scared, Jaden. More than I've ever been. But this is something I have to do. I want to be able to fight alongside you…as a brother."

Jaden looked at his best friend. "Syrus…you've come a long way. I'd rather have no one else at my side!" With that, they rushed towards Banner with reckless abandon.

Chumley shuffled along the beach, eventually finding the slumped-over body of Alexis. "Hang on just a little longer, Alexis." He picked her up, careful to avoid hurting her.

"Chum…is that you?" Chazz's voice was small, weak, a far cry from its usual verve. "Yeah," was all Chumley said. Chumley had never really spoken to Chazz, and Chazz verbally disrespected Chumley often, calling him fat, stupid, and generally bullying him.

It was a truly momentous, life-changing experience. To have his life in the hands of someone he treated like trash made Chazz suddenly feel very small. Chumley could have simply let him die. Yes, he could've let him die, then lied to Jaden, tell him that poor old Chazz succumbed to a measly stab wound. Chazz smiled. "Thanks, Chum. Thanks a lot." He choked out.

Chumley looked at Chazz. Chumley decided to close his mind to the philosophical implications of his help. Such things didn't matter to Chumley, and they never would. "No problem." He said simply before flash stepping to the hospital.

Banner did not know if Syrus' shikai could cut through the skin of his homunculus, but the traitorous teacher did not feel like testing if it could. He was forced to retreat constantly from Syrus, keeping out of the blue-haired boy's sword range while engaging the much more skilled Jaden. He was indignant, affronted that he was being forced to defend himself from a diminutive Slifer slacker!

"Damn!" Banner cursed. Jaden was bolstered from the assistance of his friends, his speed beginning to overtake Banner's. "C'mon teach! I hope you're not getting tired already!" Jaden's sword clanged against Banner's. Jaden and Banner were at their limits, their reiatsu stretched thin.

The fight dragged on another hour, mostly due to Banner relying solely on evasive tactics instead of risking being attacked by Syrus' shikai. Eventually, Jaden landed a kick to Banner's sternum, sending flying directly into the path of Syrus' glowing blade. "Take this!" Syrus prepared to cleave Banner in two. "Get him, Syrus!" Jaden exclaimed.

Hikari Fukushu bounced off of Banner's fake skin, failing to harm the Hollow at all.

"What? No way!" Syrus sighed.

Jaden chuckled, shaking his head in resignation. "How? I thought that blade could cut through anything!" he gritted his teeth.

"I thought so as well…" Banner was overcome with panic when he saw Syrus' Zanpakuto hit him, but his confidence quickly returned when he discovered that he was unharmed from the attack.

"The difference in our respective power levels are too great. The distance between us is not dissimilar to that gap between the earth and the sun. You should have stayed in your room, boy!" Banner threatened. Syrus trembled in fear, cold sweat rolling down his face.

Chumley hurried over to the school infirmary, heading straight to Nurse Fontaine's office. "They were injured protecting the keys!" was all Chumley had to say to his voluptuous gym teacher before she secured a high-priority ward for both Chazz and Alexis. Fontaine was especially alarmed to see her prized pupil Alexis in such an injured state, and placed a healing kido on her before Chazz.

"I think they're going to be OK, Mr. Huffington. They should recover in time to depart home on the plane with the rest of the students when it's time." Fontaine said comfortingly to Chumley.

"All right, thank you Miss Fontaine," Chumley said while bowing.

"I don't understand how this is happening, but I'm sure that Professor Sheppard has a very good reason for endangering his students like this." She clucked with a hint of disapproval.

Banner ruthlessly assaulted Syrus with punches and kicks, breaking the small boy's glasses in the process. The broken glass sliced up Syrus' face, several small lacerations marring his features. His weak ribs cracked under the force of Banner's punches. His shoulder dislocated, and new, exquisite pain ripping through Syrus' body.

Jaden flew as fast he could manage towards Banner, rage threatening to take him over. Banner saw him coming, and tossed Syrus' limp, unconcscious body at Jaden, causing Jaden to slow down in order to catch him.

"That's what you get for bringing your useless little friends into this fight! Face it, Jaden, you can't count on them! They'll only slow you down! You'll never become great if you continue to allow yourself to be held back by your petty attachments!" Banner practically screamed at Jaden as the Hollow General slowly rose into the air, orange energy swirling around his index finger.

"You're wrong! I'm strong because of my friends, not in spite of them! They spur me on to get better!" Jaden yelled up at him.

"Oh, don't even try to spit that at me! You never train, you just squeak by on dumb luck. Face it, you're a joke! One day, life's going to catch up with you, and it will hit like a freight train, that I assure you!" Banner snarled.

Jaden brushed his words off, frantically trying to formulate a plan. "I came here to be the best I could possibly be, to push my limits, to live life! You're wrong about me! This no-count loser is going to kick your ass!"

Banner charged up what appeared to be a miniature sun in his hand, an orange-red ball of solar power. "Dodge this if you can, but know if you do, this entire island will be reduced to rubble!" J

aden, despite his usual aversion to it, decided to look inward. Darkness obscured his mind's eye. **"Well, don't you agree with professor Banner's words? He makes good points, wouldn't you agree, Jaden?" **The Supreme King sneered at Jaden.

Jaden had appeared on a sandy coast. Two palm trees had a hammock strung up between them, the Supreme King relaxing, wearing a black floral print shirt that was unbuttoned all the way, as well as a pair of deep purple swimming shorts. "

I'm not going to take advice from a crazy guy like him." Jaden shrugged.

**"You don't get to call anyone crazy, bud. You're insane in your own right."**

"So, how come you're just chilling in Hawaii? We're in the middle of a fight!" Jaden deftly changed the subject."

**"It's my OSHA-mandated break period."**

"Fuck you. Syrus, along with everyone else on this island, is going to die if we don't win! I need you to help me! I need some of your power!" Jaden was not too proud to beg, since the stakes were so high**. **

**"Everyone you care about is going to die? Well, that's what's going to happen later on anyway, so it's not a big deal."** "Wait, what?" Jaden sputtered. **"What?" **The Supreme King immediately cut him off.

Jaden gave his alter ego a weird look. "So, why haven't you been helping me before? I thought that Zanpakuto usually fought alongside their hosts." Jaden wondered.

**"I am no ordinary Zanpakuto. But I'm sure you know that already."**

"Well, I'm no ordinary human. But I'm sure you knew that particular detail already," Jaden boasted.

**"Hmph. Well, I suppose if my landlord's gonna croak, then I can't just sit by idly. Let's go, Jaden."** "For Syrus!" Jaden yelled. **"For my evil plans!"** The Supreme King shouted with equal fervor.

Outside of his mindscape, Jaden's eyes became heterochromatic, his left eye turning back to his normal brown hue, while his right retained the unsettling gold color of The King. "Alright Banner, let's go, one last time!" Jaden's voice was double-layered, his warm, dark chocolate tenor overlapping with the ripping, tearing cry of The Supreme King's.

"Where did he just get that huge power-up from?!" Banner shrieked. For a moment, he met Jaden's dual irises, and a large wave of killing intent tore through Banner's psyche, his own impressively dark reiatsu being smothered by the combination of Jaden and his Zanpakuto's aura.

"**Daiyu no Hoshi: Goryuuka!" **The fire dragon rose majestically, gracefully, from Jaden's hand.

"**Genshi Taiyo**! (Original Sun)" Banner yelled as he flung a miniature supernova towards the incoming attack. Both clashed, a vortex of brilliant orange power radiating from its epicenter.

The heat was so intense, Jaden and Banner were forced to shield themselves with the meager remnants of their energy to avoid being cooked alive. The grass around them burned to a crisp; formerly fertile soil being reduced to dry, cracking earth. The seawater boiled, leaving large deposits of salt on the beach, dying it white.

"Come on, I'm putting in all the work here!" Jaden teased his inner demon. **"Hah, your sense of humor is warped, little Jaden. If anything, you are the one slacking."** "I've been the one fighting this whole time, you lazy bastard!" Jaden yelled. Eventually, Jaden and Banner petered out, both running out of energy at the same time. The clashing attack disappeared completely, flickering out suddenly.

Banner collapsed , crumpling on the ground with a horrible finality. The Supreme King, seeing that Jaden was no longer in danger of dying, retreated into the corners of Jaden's mind. **"I helped you this time, Jaden. Just be on the watch later. There will be far stronger foes than this one. And I will be the one to fight them, not you!"**

"Whatever, just get out of here. I don't need your help anymore." Jaden shooed his malevolent inner entity away.

Once the King left, Jaden fell to his knees and vomited, his energy reserves completely gone. After a few more retches, he looked over at Banner, who was lying prone on the ground, unmoving. Jaden hobbled over to him, using his sealed Zanpakuto as a walking cane. He stood over Banner, blood trailing from the right corner of his mouth.

He picked his sword up over his head, pointing it at Banner's head.

Banner had his eyes closed again, and he was inexplicably smiling. "Don't bother delivering the coup de grace, Jaden. I'm dying." Banner shivered. The Homunculi's skin was beginning to crack, like a drying wax statue. "I've used up..too much energy…I can no longer maintain the artificial body. Without a vessel, my soul will wander this earth…forever."

"Can't say I'm too choked up, asshole. You put everyone in danger for your own selfish pursuit of immortality. Frankly, you can eat shit for all I care." Despite his callous words, Jaden could not help but feel a hint of sympathy for his old teacher, especially when the cat Phaorah sauntered up to Banner's body.

Banner wheezed a short laugh. "You are free to feel that way. However, I was free to pursue my dream, and even though I failed, I have no regrets." Banner coughed. Jaden paused, before nodding.

"In this clash of wills, you have succeeded, Jaden Yuki. You could go on to do great things."

Jaden frowned. "I will be doing great things, but it seems you won't be around to see them. This is goodbye, Professor Banner. For what it's worth, I'll always remember the good times we had."

Banner smiled. "Maybe I was wrong about you, Jaden. I hope…we can meet as friends…in the next life…" Banner's body crumbled to dust, leaving behind his tattered clothes. J

aden turned around, facing the ever-present sea. Wave after wave crashed onto the coast.

Jaden slowly walked over to his friend Syrus, picking him up with some difficulty. "Jaden…did we win?" Syrus whispered, his cute blue eyes fluttering open when Jaden picked him up.

"Yeah, we did buddy. By the way. We're bleeding out, so we should probably get our asses to the hospital." Jaden lapsed into a coughing fit before falling to the ground, Syrus tumbling out with a pathetic whimper.

"No, I'm gonna die a virgin!" Syrus squeaked. "And I'm gonna die before banging Alexis!" Tears were freely falling down their faces.

"Relax, you guys are fine." A third voice stated calmly. Jaden and Syrus were roughly picked up by Zane, who had a slightly amused expression on his normally stoic face.

"Um, how long have you been standing there?" Jaden asked with an audible gulp.

"Long enough." He replied simply.

"Please don't tell Atticus." Jaden pleaded.

"I'm the last one who's telling him anything."

"Thanks bro." Jaden grinned. "I'm not your bro." Zane said before flash stepping to the infirmary.

Pharoah, despite his limited intelligence, instinctually knew that his master was gone. The cat turned, preparing to scuttle away to who knows where. However, the cat's progress halted. A glowing, butter-yellow sphere of energy rose from Banner's ashes.

_"My feline companion."_ A voice sounded in Pharoah's simple mind. _"My friend, please, allow me use of your body, until I can prepare a new Homunculus. Then, I can finally become immortal-"_ Banner's offer was interrupted.

The small sphere that represented Banner's soul was unceremoniously swallowed by his own cat. _"Oh, Pharoah. It seems like we'll be together for a long time…"_ Banner grumbled from within his cat's stomach.

Jaden and Syrus were soon delivered to the same high-intensive care ward that Chazz and Alexis were in. Unfortunately, both were still asleep, recovering their precious energy. Zane spent a gaze on both of the unconscious fighters.

"How did this happen? I didn't sense a battle going on," Zane said with a slight edge to his voice. "It was the final Hollow General….he was Professor Banner." Jaden said with subdued tone.

"Banner? Can't say I'm surprised." Zane shrugged.

"Right?!" Jaden laughed, before the hilarity caused him to clutch his side in pain. "I shouldn't laugh…"

"Anyway, was he strong? I never got the opportunity to sense his energy." Zane questioned.

"What, you couldn't tell by how he did us? He was easily more powerful than any of the other Hollows." Jaden explained as Nurse Fontane walked into the room, placing a healing kido on him and Syrus.

"You underestimate your own strength, Jaden. You have grown stronger, I can feel it. Perhaps if we fought again, you would actually stand a chance." Zane arrogantly proclaimed.

"What was that?!" Jaden challenged.

Before Zane could speak again, Crowler and Bastion ran into the ward, their expressions demanding an explanation. Jaden decided to start over, telling Crowler and Bastion of Banner's betrayal, and the subsequent battle against him. "He must have Bakudo #2, Fukashi to hide your energies." Crowler hypothesized.

"How can that be? Hollows cannot use kido, it is incompatible with their reiatsu. If a Hollow tried to use kido like we would, they would only hurt themselves." Bastion quickly explained, his words having the practiced cadence of a university professor.

"Banner wasn't a Hollow. At least, not a normal one. He was able to use the Cero, which is a technique only Hollows can use. But really, other than that, he was not like a Hollow at all. I sensed no reiatsu from him." Syrus hastily tried to make himself clear.

"If wasn't a Hollow, then what the hell was he?" Bastion impatiently asked.

"He was a Homunculus. An artificial body that was created by Banner's former Zanpakuto. He transferred his brain into the body as a temporary vessel while he was in search of immortality." Jaden filled for Syrus, as the taller boy was a little better at orating than his friend.

"Immortality!? Preposterous!" Crowler exclaimed. "And this is the best part. You know how Banner was going to attain eternal life? By taking the seven keys and taking the Philosopher's Stone from Sheppard's office!" Jaden's dramatic reveal was met with stupefied silence. "

Are you insane?" Zane deadpanned.

"Really Jaden, you must have incurred a concussion during the battle. Of all the things Sheppard has in his office, a stone that grants eternal life is certainly not one of them." Bastion half-joked.

"I fought him! Banner was not lying, I assure you! This old man's got some Harry Potter-type shit in his office!" Jaden practically yelled at them. "

Be quiet, young man! You need to rest, you are already in critical condition!" Nurse Fontaine admonished Jaden for his antics.

"No! We're getting to the bottom of this if it takes all night! We're taking a trip to his office right now, boys!"

"Calm yourself. We'll figure this out. First, let's wait until Chazz and Alexis wake up. You guys should let yourselves rest a bit, too." Zane commanded, and Jaden stood down, placing his head on the soft pillow beneath.

Jaden's uppity behavior was a stark contrast to his normally laid-back attitude. Everyone was somewhat unsettled by the change in his disposition. They all tensely waited for Chazz and Alexis to awaken as the sun rose. Eventually, the green light from Fontaine's nursing kido faded away, and Jaden, Chazz, Alexis, and Syrus sat up at the same time.

Chumley entered the room. "You guys won," he sighed in relief. "I went to go get some sleep while you all healed."

"Yeah, we're all good, Chum. Thank you so much for helping us. You saved our lives." Alexis said graciously. "Haha, it was no problem. I was just doing what I could." Chuley scratched the back of his head humbly.

"Chum, you the real MVP." Syrus gave him a thumbs-up.

"Anyways, we're off to go expose our dear Headmaster Sheppard, who has been holding the Philosopher's Stone in that box underneath his desk. Care to join us?" Bastion snarked dryly.

"OK, what did I miss?" Chumley's eyebrows were raised.

After explaining the situation to Chumley, the group of friends marched purposefully towards Sheppard's office, making no effort to conceal the collective maelstrom of reiatsu they were all emitting. They stood outside of Sheppard's chamber door, and they were certain that nearly everyone on the island could feel the power they were releasing. However, they decided to knock anyways.

"C-Come in." Sheppard called.

As soon as the door opened, Sheppard was greeted with a shockwave of killing intent, courtesy of Chazz Princeton. "So. You blackmailed us into fighting life-or-death battles against legendary warriors, you threaten our educations, and you attempt to manipulate us." Chazz's voice was dangerously low, a menacing, animalistic hiss.

"You told us to protect these keys with our lives, and for what? For you to live forever, courtesy of the Philosopher's Stone?!" Bastion was livid. "You hid such a thing from the world at large, from the prying eyes of science! How dare you!"

"And what of Banner? You simply had no idea that he was the one behind everything!?" Alexis yelled.

Sheppard was trembling. "What? I had no idea…my hands were tied, I swear it!"

"Bullshit! The way you were acting before, so high and mighty…God, I couldn't wait to knock you down a peg!" Chazz screamed. "

Let me explain!" Sheppard pleaded. "No! I'm not gonna let you explain-" Chazz began to rant, but Zane put a firm hand on his shoulder, stopping him mid-sentence.

"If you wish to explain, then please," Zane started. "Explain."

"The Philosopher's Stone was not discovered by me. As many of you know, this school was created was Seto Kaiba, one of the strongest warriors in the world, as well as the CEO of Kaiba Corp. While his strength in battle is equaled by the great Yugi Muto, Kaiba's money and influence are unrivaled. Frankly, if he says "jump,", you ask "how high?"", Sheppard explained.

"I've even heard rumors that he fought the legendary Hollow, Bakura. Kaiba has countless feats to his name. He has been my personal role model for many years now." Zane said.

"Anyways, in the past five years, Kaiba has been researching possible avenues for immortality himself. You see, he has no heir, and he is understandably nervous about leaving his company in the hands of his bumbling younger brother Mokuba," Sheppard went on.

"Hurry up! We don't want to be here all day!" Chazz demanded.

"There is a period of about three days where Kaiba Corp has deleted their company history. Financial records, employee attendance ratings, stock records- all gone. During this time, it is rumored that Kaiba Corp was being threatened by a cult named Doma. Kaiba's company was being threatened by a madman named Dartz, whose ultimate goal was the resurrection of an ancient god known as the Great Leviathan."

"What does this have to do with anything? Hurry up with the damn story!" Chazz growled.

"Dartz and his cult were eventually defeated by the combined efforts of Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey Wheeler. However, after the battle, Kaiba discovered the Philosopher's Stone. It was how Dartz had been keeping himself alive while he prepared his plans. Kaiba secured it for himself, and entrusted to me for safekeeping. That's why I have it. I had no idea Banner was after it as well. I never wanted this responsibility! But I had no choice- my ass is on the line here!"

Sheppard nearly broke down when he realized how precarious his standing really was.

"Kaiba plans to use the stone for immortality?" Alexis asked, her anger abating quickly after Sheppard's story.

"I don't know, but I have my suspicions. Listen, when Kaiba Corp inevitably looks into the death of Professor Banner, I will be forced to give some sort of explanation." Sheppard said slowly.

"We will tell him the truth, then." Crowler said forcefully.

"What? You realize, if Kaiba learns of a security breach of this magnitude…." Sheppard let the implication hang in the air.

"If you lie to him, then he will be even angrier when he eventually finds out. I concur with Professor Crowler's opinion. It was very leader-like." Bastion said with meaning.

"What? I knew Kaiba was powerful, but is he really that intimidating?" Jaden questioned boldly. Everyone looked at him incredulously.

"I knew you were an idiot, a complete dolt, Jaden Yuki, but I never expected your foolishness to reach to such an extent." Sheppard snapped coldly.

"Hey, I don't know, alright? Could you explain, instead of making me feel like I'm stupid!" Jaden replied with fiery venom.

"Kaiba is more powerful than any of us, thanks to a unique combination of naturally monstrous energy reserves, a Zanpakuto that is nearly unrivaled in brute force, and a steely determination in battle. There's a reason only Yugi could ever defeat him. If he even let five percent of his reiatsu leak out in our presence, we would be instantly killed by its pressure. If he got serious, he could have destroyed Banner in one strike." Chazz explained, righteous admiration bordering on fear in his voice.

"You see? Incurring his wrath would spell doom for all of us. I'm sure he won't be mad once he learns of the truth." Crowler spoke up again, earning a dirty look from Sheppard.

"Very well, then. You would do well to contact him immediately, although you don't have to take our advice. Just food for thought." Zane said before turning his heel and leaving. The rest, sensing that the discussion was over, awkwardly filed out of the office, until only Crowler and Sheppard remained.

"What do you think of my suggestions, _headmaster_?" Crowler smirked as the word "headmaster" slowly left his painted purple lips.

Sheppard slammed his fists on the table. "You opportunistic bastard! After one whiff of blood in the water, you're already gunning for my job!"

"I can lead this school in the right direction. Duel Academy will forever be the most glorious institution for training the young minds of Zanpakuto wielders. That is all I want, and I will see it done by my hand. Make that call, Sheppard." Crowler smirked one last time before flash stepping out of the office.

Sheppard cursed one more time before gazing at his cell phone. Ruefully, he picked it up, and dialed the number to Kaiba Corp.

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the nineteenth chapter of Kids With Swords!**

**I truly apologize to any readers of my other stories, for I have simply been too busy with real-life obligations to direct any energy or time to writing lately. This chapter has been in the works for a long time, as I'm sure you can tell.**

**I wanted to provide a different ending to this arc than the rather lackluster one in canon. Kagemaru does not exist in this universe. The character was introduced with no foreshadowing, and his motivations were the exact same as Banner's, so I saw no reason not to simply make Banner the main antagonist of the arc. This required making him a little more evil, but he never inspired much sympathy anyways.**

**When I originally conceived this fic, I had trouble figuring out what to do with the Sacred Beast cards. After all, since there are no Duel Monsters in this universe, it would be difficult to truly integrate them. Instead, what I did was replace them with the Philosopher's Stone while hinting back to this universe's equivalent to the Orichalcos arc of the original Yugioh series. I hope you guys liked the references to the original series. Kaiba himself will be appearing next chapter, and he'll be nothing less than epic.**

**As far as the battle goes, I hope you guys enjoyed the Jaden-Alexis-Chazz team-up! I love writing situations where rivals are forced to work together. Even Syrus and Chumley got some action here, and the Supreme King himself made an appearance! I believe that this is the best chapter I have overwritten, and I hope the battle met your expectations!**

**Again, thank you for reading, and please review. I'll try to get the next chapter out by next saturday, but this one took a lot out of me. I'll try my best to wrap this arc up well though.**


	20. DEVIANT ARTISTRY

_"Dreamers are those who are willing to sacrifice what they are for what they will become."_

After Sheppard made the call to Kaiba Corp, it was announced to the school at large that Seto Kaiba himself would be visiting the school the following day for a "Regularly Scheduled End-Of-Year Meeting". However, none of the students bought that Kaiba would personally visit the school for such a seemingly pedestrian reason, and rumors abounded about the true purpose of the visit. A few of them were even somewhat close to the truth, but none were completely factual.

Jaden volunteered to inform Atticus of the previous day's events. Jaden greatly enjoyed the company of Alexis' brother. He was far more relaxed than the comparatively uppity behavior of his other best friend, Syrus. Atticus was down at the beach, surfing as he usually did. After finishing off a rolling wave, Atticus arrived on shore with a flourish. He wore a skin-tight black and purple bodysuit that showed off every contour of his body.

Jaden walked up to him, his tiredness contrasting with the youthful vigor of Atticus. "Jaden, what's up? I never figured you'd be around here this early in the morning." Atticus smirked.

"A ton of shit has gone down in the last 24 hours. You'll wanna sit down for this one…" Jaden then told Atticus of the entire history he had learned in the past 24 hours, ever since finding the corpse of Professor Banner in the forest.

Atticus was shocked at the story, although Jaden would have been incredibly surprised if Atticus wasn't. "That's incredible! I can't believe that's what they keys were protecting! I can't believe that's why I was hollowfied! To think that I was manipulated for some ridiculous bid for immortality!" Atticus frowned.

"I know. I'm so sorry that happened to you, but it's all over now. The best part is, your sister was instrumental in his defeat!" Jaden grinned.

"Right, that's comforting, I guess. Thanks for telling me this, Jaden. This sure has been an interesting year, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it has. That reminds me, will you be graduating with Zane? You are both seniors, right?" Jaden asked, placing his hands behind his head.

"I won't be, considering I've missed most of my senior year on account of being possessed by a demon. Dumbass." Atticus snarked.

"Yeah, maybe that wasn't a very smart question. Still, I was just wondering, that's all." Jaden shrugged. From there, he simply sat and chilled with Atticus for an hour before leaving the beach.

Jaden was very pleased with himself when he returned to the dorm later than day. He returned to find his two roommates enjoying the peace. It had truly sunk in for all of them that morning that their conflict with the Hollows was over. They had not even recognized the weight that was on their shoulders until it was gone, and a sense of blessed relief replaced it.

Syrus was out and about, it seemed. Chumley, to Jaden's immediate shock, was not sleeping, but rather was drawing on a large piece of paper. Jaden peered over Chumley's shoulder, his portly classmate completely absorbed in his work.

The drawing was a landscape, depicting an orange-hued sunset over what appeared to be an Australian canyon, a dusty plateau rising in the center. It was drawn with finely sharpened colored pencils. Jaden tapped Chumley on the shoulder as the portly boy was reaching for an eraser.

The koala-like boy jerked around, startled by the contact. "Oh, hey, Jaden."

"Chumley, I didn't know you liked to draw! Frankly, I didn't know you any skills that applied to real life."

"You never knew that? I draw all the time, dude."

"You've never shown me any of your artwork! Why? The landscape you're drawing right now looks amazing! You're really talented, Chum." Jaden smiled.

Chumley slightly smiled. "Thank you, man. I based this painting on a camping trip my father and I took back when I was a young boy. It's of Ayer's Rock, otherwise known as Uluru. It's one of the greatest sights in Australia. The sun rising over the western plateau there is a wonder to behold." Chumley explained.

Jaden gaped. "Wow, Chum, you sound completely different when you're talking about art."

Chumley looked down, smiling sadly. "Do you wanna know the reason why I was held back a year, Jaden?" Chumley inquired.

"Why? Does it have anything to do with your art?" Jaden replied.

"Yeah, I was neglecting my schoolwork to draw. I planned on selling my pieces, but there was no interest in them. I still draw, because I'm passionate about it, but sometimes I think I should just give up. I'd be better off getting an office job or something." He muttered despondently.

"Hey, don't say that, Chum! You should follow your dreams! Who cares if you've failed before? Do you think that Picasso got famous in a week? As long as you work hard, and never give up, you'll make it eventually." Jaden tried to give a rousing speech.

"Yeah, I'll keep trying, Jaden." Chumley muttered half-heartedly before turning back to his drawing. Jaden frowned before leaving the dorm.

Jaden's good mood had evaporated after talking to Chumley. He went down to the mess hall for a bite to eat, feeling bad. He had tried to help Chumley with his words, but he now felt as though he had invaded his friend's privacy. Jaden looked across the table see Chazz, who had not gone to the trouble of greeting Jaden when he saw him.

"Hey, how's it going Chazz?" Jaden said, affecting a cheery tone. Chazz looked at Jaden neutrally. "I'm good."

Chazz's normally hair-trigger temper had subsided greatly. The boy felt pleased with his lot in life at the moment. The war with the Hollows was over, and Chazz could not help but feel mellowed out. "Hey, Chazz. Not for nothing, but what are your plans for the summer?" Jaden asked what he considered to be a safe question, but in reality, Chazz was drawing a blank.

He no longer had the support of his family, which meant that he no longer had a stable home or any money to work with. Chazz always had the question lurking in the back of his mind, but the conflict with the Hollows diverted him from making any serious consideration about his summer plans.

He supposed that he could live off of the land for a few months, as he did previously in the span of time before he joined North Academy. However, this option was unappealing to him, far more than it was after his loss to Bastion. He had begun to grow tired of constant loneliness. He appreciated the charity Jaden had decided to show him.

"I honestly have no idea." Chazz replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, I guess it is kind of a question mark for you, huh?" Jaden grimaced. "I know! You could stay at my house in California for the summer! It'll be great!"

"Wait, what? This will fly with your parents?" Chazz's eyes widened, both at the suddenness of the proposition and the actual offering itself.

"Sure! They have to work a lot anyways. My father owns a hospital, while my mother sells real estate, so we're pretty loaded. Probably not as much as your brothers though. Anyways, as long as you do some chores and earn your keep around the house, I'm sure they'll be fine with it!" Jaden said cheerily, wrapping an arm around the far less enthused Chazz.

Chazz was not very eager to room with his rival for three months, even though his relations with Jaden had improved over the past semester. On the other hand, he really had no other options, and acknowledged that Jaden was trying to do him a kindness.

"Alexis and Atticus live in California as well! We could hang with them every so often too!" Jaden added to his case. Chazz rested his head in one of his hands, mulling it over.

"There certainly would be a lot of training oppurtunities…" Chazz murmured. "Yeah, totally!" Jaden nodded excitedly.

Chazz opened his eyes. "Very well then, I'll be your roommate for the summer, Yuki. However, don't think I haven't forgotten; I still want to fight you again someday, no holds barred!" Chazz sneered.

"Sure, whatever you say." Jaden said with complicity before offering a fist bump. Chazz agreed, touching knuckles with Jaden for a brief moment.

"So, where's your hometown, Chazz? Maybe we could visit it sometime." Jaden offered companionably.

"I do not have a hometown. My biological mother gave birth to me while on a private airliner. She was a very important business trip for the Princeton Corporation, and trifles like pregnancy would not stop her from making money for the family. Since I was born over international waters, I cannot even claim a country to be mine, much less a hometown." Chazz explained with his arms crossed.

Jaden frowned. "That's rather sad, huh?"

"Not really." Chazz grunted.

Suddenly, everyone on the island froze in complete and utter terror. A primal sense of dread filled the minds of every single individual on the island, the weaker students feeling an especially potent fear. Even Zane had begun to sweat, his normally calm blue eyes twitching rapidly. "Oh my God…no! He's early!" Sheppard gulped.

A jet in the shape of a blue dragon descended upon the island, as if it were a shining harbinger of the coming rapture. It hovered over the domed roof of the Academy, its pilot already knowing the entry code necessary to open the helipad. Suddenly, the roof parted in its center to present the circular landing area, roughly a kilometer across either side.

"Master Kaiba, we have arrived."

"Thank you, Roland. An excellent job piloting, as always."

Seto Kaiba departed from his strangely-shaped aircraft. He was a tall, thin man, around six foot four in height. He wore a black long-sleeved shirt, worn beneath a majestic white coat with a raised, studded collar. A "KC" emblem could be seen on his right shoulder. His hair was a plain brown shade, cut in a cereal bowl mullet. The man looked both youthful and mature at the same time, having a timeless countenance similar to that of a Greek god. The soul of a tiger burned beneath his cold blue eyes.

"Ah, it's good to see the Academy. This is quite a beautiful island. It's a shame I hardly ever visit, wouldn't you say, Roland?" Kaiba's voice was harsh and nasally, arrogance practically seeping from his words.

"Yes sir!" Roland said. Kaiba's manservant looked relatively plain in comparison to his boss, wearing a crisp blue suit with short, graying hair. The butler had formed a camraderie with his boss over the many years they had worked together. Roland might be one of the few people whom Kaiba could call a friend.

"Well, let's get this over with. I'm golfing with Obama at 4." Kaiba grabbed Roland's arm and flash stepped, bringing both of them outside of Headmaster Sheppard's door. Crowler and Sheppard felt Kaiba's overwhelming reiatsu waiting outside the door. Kaiba mockingly knocked on the door anyways.

"C-Cuh-Come in." Sheppard stuttered. Kaiba and Roland strutted into the office. "Headmaster Sheppard." Kaiba greeted before offering Sheppard a handshake.

"Mr. Kaiba, so good to see you. You're early!" Sheppard grimaced. Crowler shook Kaiba's hand as well, albeit with a much more calm demeanor.

"Dr. Crowler, always a pleasure." Kaiba said cordially. "The feeling is mutual, sir." Crowler unabashedly kissed up to Kaiba, hoping to improve his standing in the executive's eyes.

Kaiba smiled coldly before turning back to Sheppard. "Now then, to business. Why don't you let me see my stone?" Kaiba's tone was clear, direct. Sheppard hastened to grab the small wooden box under his desk, taking the keys with it. Kaiba bristled.

"Those keys…they carry the energy of seven different reiatsu signatures. One of them is yours, Crowler." Kaiba said quickly.

"Yes, sir, we'll explain shortly." Crowler said placatingly.

The keys glowed with multicolored energy before floating into their slots on the carved wood box all on their own. The top of the case snapped open, revealing a marvelous blue orb, swirling with azure energy, casting a sea green glow over a red velvet covering.

Kaiba snatched the Philosopher's Stone from its container, greed evident in his expression. "Glorious, wouldn't you agree, gentlemen? With the power of this ancient Atlantean treasure, I may very well be CEO of Kaiba Corp for a very long time. Forever, I daresay." Kaiba gloated.

Crowler and Sheppard were now very scared. Did Yugi, the one man in the world who could match Kaiba's strength, know about this stone? It was very possible that Kaiba could rule the world with an iron fist if he so chose. With his amoral lust for power and ruthless expansionism, the entire Earth could one day be under Kaiba's reign.

"I am very glad to see that it is safe. You and your warriors did well, defending it from a powerful group of Hollows."

"Yes sir. We lost Professor Banner in one of the battles." Sheppard stated, his words ringing hollow in his own ears. Sheppard and the key keepers had agreed to keep Banner's name clean to the general public, for if Kaiba ever learned that there was a mole in his own school, heads would be literally rolling.

Kaiba's eyebrows raised. "I am sorry to hear of this loss. However, it was avoidable. For seven Hollows to have breached the school's security is very distressing. Perhaps I should take a more active role around here, hm?" Kaiba let his words hang in the air, his spiritual pressure smothering Crowler and Sheppard.

"Sir, we believe that it may have something to do with the Hollowfication experiments that took place in the abandoned dorm, we'll look into it immediately." Sheppard said as his eyes darted nervously around the room.

"In any case, the leadership at the school will be evaluated, and certain measures will be made, of this I can assure you." Suddenly, Kaiba placed the Philosopher's Stone in its case before snapping the case shut.

"That will be all, at least in this matter. There are two more things I wish to discuss with you two. I like that painting on the wall, Sheppard. I must ask where you got it." Kaiba transitioned from speaking of serious security breaches to discussing a painting with the same amount of formality throughout, bemusing Crowler and Sheppard.

The painting was a rendition of Duel Academy Island from a bird's eye view. "Oh, that? A student made it for me. He's a very talented artist. His name is Chumley Huffington. He assisted us in protecting the keys, as well." Sheppard explained. Sheppard himself had not let the implications of Kaiba's previous words go unnoticed, but now was not to time to look worried.

"I love his work. What year is this student in?" Kaiba asked with crisp tone.

"Well, he's a freshman, but he was held back a year." Crowler snorted disparagingly.

"I am interested in hiring an artist to do some product promotion for my business. Perhaps this student of yours could work for me by commission? It would certainly be cheaper than hiring one of those damned freelance artists." Kaiba grumbled.

"Really, you'd be interested in hiring Chumley? That would be wonderful for the boy, he's always needed a new environment to work in. School life has never suited him. You have my recommendation." Sheppard said ingratiatingly.

"Yes, well, we'll see how much worth your vote has in the future, won't we?" Kaiba practically snarled, the threat becoming overt.

"Such a proposal cannot be taken lightly, sir! Mr. Huffington cannot enter the real world without at least passing his freshman year of school! The idea is preposterous!" Crowler blurted.

Kaiba regarded Crowler with a raised eyebrow. "Perhaps we should meet with the boy, get his opinion. If he does not work to work for me, then the matter is moot. If he agrees to my offer, we shall discuss from there." Sheppard scrambled for the microphone that was linked to the PR system that transmitted across every classroom in the school.

"Chumley Huffington, please report to the Headmaster's office immediately." Sheppard said a little too quickly into the microphone. Fortunately, Chumley had class at the moment, and eagerly took the excuse to leave the classroom. He entered the office with no fear, blissfully ignorant of who was waiting inside.

"Hello, Mr. Huffington." Kaiba said smoothly, extending a handshake towards the chunky Slifer Red student. Chumley gaped, not expecting Kaiba to have visited the island. "No way…you're Seto Kaiba! Like, THE Seto Kaiba!" Chumley exclaimed, immediately scrambling backwards.

Kaiba chuckled. _"I suppose the difference between our respective energy levels are too far apart, so he cannot sense me." _The CEO thought.

"Mr. Huffington, I must ask you to conduct yourself professionally. I realize that this is a surprise for you, but I am about to make you an offer, and I do not deal with children." Chumley's breathing eventually slowed, and the young man composed himself.

"Sorry, Mr. Kaiba."

"Do not apologize. It is unbecoming of a future Kaiba Corp employee." Kaiba coldly cut him off.

"Wait, Kaiba Corp employee? What's going on?" Chumley scratched his head.

"Chumley, I saw some of your artwork, and it impressed me, which is difficult to do. I could use a promotional artist at my company, and I would certainly be willing to hire you. The pay is among the best in the world, especially for starting wages. It would be full-time, so you would be unable to continue your schooling." Kaiba quickly explained.

Chumley was ecstatic. A chance to live out his dreams of being a professional artist was being handed to him on a silver platter! However, thoughts of his friends passed through his mind like leaves through a river, causing him to hesitate. Chumley wanted to spend more time with Jaden, Syrus, and all of his fellow students at Duel Academy who had enriched his life so greatly within the span of one year. In the past year, he felt as though he was truly living for the first time, emerging from his crusty shell of laziness and apathy. For a moment, he felt himself in a precarious position.

In the end, his dream won out. "I would be honored to accept your honor, Mr. Kaiba!" Chumley shook Kaiba's hand with enthusiasm. Kaiba allowed a small smile. "Congratulations, Mr. Huffington." As soon as Kaiba and Chumley broke their handshake, Crowler cleared his throat, speaking up.

"I cannot support you in this affair, Mr. Huffington!" The effeminate teacher declared.

"Excuse me?" Kaiba scoffed.

"As a teacher at this prestigious academy, I cannot Chumley to simply walk out on his education without finishing freshman year! I won't allow it!" Chumley's grin faltered; he did not expect Crowler to oppose him so vehemently.

"Well then, what do you propose, Professor?" Kaiba laboriously emphasized the word, "Professor" as an idle threat, but Crowler stood his ground regardless.

"I will duel Mr. Huffington personally, as part of the standard year-end assessments. If Chumley can defeat me in a one-on-one battle, then he will pass freshman year, and thus will be allowed to work at your company. If not, then he will drop out of Duel Academy!" Crowler's ultimatum had weight, garnering a surprised reaction from Kaiba, Sheppard, and Chumley.

Chumley was stupefied; he looked to Kaiba for support. However, Kaiba only wore a vaguely amused smile. "Very well. I agree to these conditions. I hope you've been training, Chumley." Kaiba sneered.

"Wait! What does fighting have anything to do with being an artist?" Chumley asked, his query not being without merit.

Kaiba shrugged. "Nothing. But if you truly want your dream to become a reality, then you will strike down any obstacle in your way, Chumley. Life's not giving you anything, and neither am I." Kaiba succinctly explained.

"The battle will be in two days, at one o'clock exactly. Do not be late, Mr. Huffington."

Chumley's normally placid face erupted into outrage, and he looked very angrily between Sheppard, Crowler, and Kaiba_. "What would Jaden say?"_ Chumley thought.

"Fine then! I'll beat you, Crowler, and I will be an artist no matter what it takes!" Chumley said with vitriol. Kaiba and Crowler immediately began laughing, a condescending cackle emanating from both of their nasal voices. Chumley turned about-face and left, slamming the door behind him.

Sheppard stood up as soon as Chumley left the room. "Why are you two being so hard on the boy!? He doesn't deserve this kind of treatment!" Sheppard hollered.

Kaiba laughed in his face. "Look at him! He was scared, in here!" Kaiba gesticulated towards his own skull. "His mind is just as soft as his flesh if he cannot rise to this occasion! I built this school from the ground up to raise warriors, not whelps! Weaklings will not make it in the real world, so why should they make it here, Sheppard?" Kaiba spat.

The CEO turned to Crowler once more. "Do not go gentle, Dr. Crowler. Make him work, for his success will then taste that much more sweet. If he wins, that is. Good day, gentlemen." Kaiba signaled to Roland that it was time to leave. He shot the two professors one more significant look before swiftly departing from the island. Crowler and Sheppard were stunned into silence by his words.

"No way! Crowler is making you fight him!?" Syrus exclaimed. Chumley had called over all of his friends to tell them of the momentous news. Jaden, Syrus, Alexis, Chazz, and Bastion were huddled around Chumley in the Slifer Red dorm. Chumley sat in a creaking swivel chair, his head in his hands.

"Wow, Kaiba is offering you a spot in his company! That's amazing, Chumley!" Alexis congratulated her friend, clapping Chumley on the shoulder.

"You can beat Crowler, Chum. I did!" Jaden grinned. _"So that monstrous power earlier was Kaiba, huh? I never imagined he would be that strong!"_ he thought.

"I'm not so sure, Jaden. I saw what his Bankai could do. That power is something else." Chumley muttered.

"He will not use his Bankai in this fight, Chumley. If he does, you have my assurance that I will step in and stop him myself." Bastion said grimly.

"Thanks Bastion. But even still, I don't think I can win. I'm too weak. I was never fit to be a fighter." Chumley responded gloomily.

"Oh, shut it already!" Chazz snapped at Chumley. Jaden and Alexis turned to Chazz, ready to respond, but Chazz kept on speaking. "Damnit, if that's the attitude you're going to have then you should just quit. Do you want to quit?" Chazz yelled.

"Well, no-" Chumley began, but Chazz immediately cut him off. "Yes, you do! The only person here who thinks that you're weak is you! You're defeating yourself before Crowler even has a chance to!"

Everyone was stunned by Chazz's words. "I agree with you for once, Princeton." Bastion nodded.

"As much as it nauseates me to say, I also agree with Chazz. You can do this, Chumley, we all believe in you. What's the worst thing that could happen? You're not gonna die just because you're feeling a little pain." Jaden said while smiling.

"We're all behind you, Chum!" Syrus squeaked. Chumley looked up, and a new look of determination seized his features.

"Let's train."

Over the course of the next two days, Chumley made use of Bastion's gym to train in swordplay with Jaden and Syrus. Having other matters to attend to, Alexis, Chazz, and Bastion could not afford to spend all day helping Chumley practice, but they still swung by for a few hours each. They played the Rocky theme on repeat for two days straight, keeping the track playing even while they slept.

A few hours before Chumley's scheduled exam, Seto Kaiba discreetly returned to the island by himself, using a private helicopter. He hid his reiatsu perfectly without the use of Bakudo #2. The CEO was interested to see the battle unfold without his imposing presence affecting either fighter. He waited inside the helicopter until the match was scheduled to start.

Chumley was accompanied to the Obelisk Blue arena by Jaden and Syrus. Chumley was wearing a blue muscle shirt with striped red shorts in lieu of his Slifer Red uniform. The towel around his neck completed the pugilistic image his outfit portrayed. Syrus and Jaden wore red tracksuits, the color clashing horribly with Syrus' hair.

Crowler was waiting inside the arena, tapping his feet impatiently. When he saw the Slifer trio enter the room, he burst into uncontrollable laughter, placing his hands on his knees for support.

"Oh, my, you really went for the boxing routine! I figured that you three goofballs would go with something more outlandish." Crowler managed to say in between fits of hilarity.

"Keep laughing, teach! You'll see what our boy Chumley here is made of soon enough!" Jaden hollered at the effeminate professor.

Headmaster Sheppard entered the arena, a tight-lipped and serious expression on his face. "Chumley, my boy, I wish you the best of luck today. You've always been one of my favorite students, you know."

Chumley narrowed his beady eyes. "I don't believe you have ever spoken to me directly before today."

Sheppard chuckled in what he believed to be a fatherly manner. "Well, nevertheless, make sure to hit Dr. Crowler with everyone you've got. Hit him once for me!" Sheppard said a little louder than what was strictly necessary, shooting a glare towards the man who was gunning for his job.

"Yeah, I will." Chumley mumbled. He looked into the stands of the arena to see that Alexis, Bastion, Atticus, and Chazz had showed up to watch the fight. Chumley did not expect to see Zane joining their ranks as well, the stoic senior sitting next to Alexis with his arms tightly crossed.

Jaden and Syrus were surprised to see Zane there as well. "Hey, big brother! What are you doing here?" Syrus said happily.

"I'm bored." Zane replied.

"Oh. Nice of you to show up for the biggest day of Chumley's life, though." Jaden said.

"Yeah." Zane said as quickly as possible.

"Well, let's not stand on ceremony here." Crowler said dramatically, drawing his sword.

"Wait, isn't this entire arbitrary fight a ceremony?" Chumley questioned.

"Don't let him psyche you out, Chum! He's just looking for an excuse to quote Bane at you!" Jaden shouted from the stands.

Chumley threw on a pair of boxing gloves, tying them tightly to his hands with his teeth. "Let's go." His Zanpakuto was still sheathed.

"If you're ready, then this examination will begin now! Tatakai no Tame, Tetsuogoremu!" Crowler activated his shikai, and Chumley vaguely made out the impression of the golem's phantom limbs. Chumley ran at Crowler, holding his hands in front of his face.

"What is Chumley doing? Why hasn't he drawn his Zanpakuto? How is he running that fast?" Atticus rattled off questions.

"Chumley may look like a garbage bag, but he's got some strength underneath that blanket of lard he's got on. When we were training, we found that Chumley did better in situations where he had to fight with his fists, rather than his sword. Instead of channeling his reiatsu towards his Shikai, he's using his sword's power to boost his speed." Jaden said with a grin.

Crowler swung his sword laterally, his shikai's giant arm coming towards Chumley with the force of a freight train. Chumley hopped over the arm, continuing to advance towards Crowler.

"Impressive. Chumley's using his reiatsu to power his feet, letting him run much better than he normally would be capable of doing. The only way I would be able to do that is if I stopped using my sword." Bastion observed with a small smile.

Kaiba, who was looking inwards on the battle from the hallway, muttered, "I wasn't expecting this."

Crowler stepped back, trying to create distance between him and Chumley. He stuck his foot out, a gigantic heel hitting Chumley with great force and speed. Chumley was sent flying back, only to suddenly arrest his own momentum. Light blue energy coalesced around his body as he floated into the air. Chumley flew towards Crowler, deftly avoiding his teacher's shikai attacks with uncharacteristic speed.

"What? How is he moving so quickly? The kid weighs 300 pounds!" Crowler hissed in frustration before casting Bakudo #61, Rikujokoro.

The six golden pillars of light suddenly appeared around Chumley, racing towards him. Chumley jumped into the air, going into a roll. "Wow, he avoided it!" Alexis said. Chumley took advantage of Crowler's momentary shock to rush in, landing a solid punch to Crowler's chest. Chumley pressed the attack, landing several more body blows to the spindly teacher, who could not defend against the forceful punches.

After about 30 seconds of nonstop punching, Crowler finally managed to swat his hand enough for his shikai to attack Chumley, the paunchy Slifer being blown back by another mechanized punch by the invisible golem. Chumley and Crowler collapsed, their breaths heaving with exertion. Chumley held his hands to his head, his skull rattled from taking the brunt of the previous attack.

_"I can't take too many more of those, or I'll be in trouble. My energy is already draining quickly. I need to finish this fast!"_ Chumley thought frantically.

Crowler smirked. "Not bad, but you'll have to do a lot better than that to pass, kid!"

"Keep it up Chumley, you're doing great!" Syrus cheered. Sheppard watched on with pride at Chumley. _"I won't be able to approach Crowler like that again. I'll have to let him come to me."_ Chumley held his gloves in front of his head, keeping his feet moving while standing in place. Crowler flash stepped, and Chumley briefly lost sight of him. The koala sensed Crowler dropping on him from above, and deftly moved out of the way of an iron arm that had slammed down on where had been previously standing.

Chumley flared his blue aura again and flew around Crowler. "You know Jaden, that looks a lot like your Streaking Comet technique." Zane commented.

Jaden nodded, a smile still plastered on his face. "You like? What Chumley doing is functionally the same as my Streaking Comet move. While I use the caloric energy of my body to produce the heat required for the Streaking Comet, Chumley is able to replicate the speed by augmenting his body's functioning rate with his spirit energy." Jaden explained.

"Woah, that sounded way too smart to be coming out of your mouth, Jaden." Chazz snarked.

"Hey, watch yourself, punk! I am a freaking genius!" Jaden snapped at him.

"Actually, that was a very good explanation, Jaden. You could be a good teacher." Alexis playfully teased. Jaden blushed. "Aw, shucks."

Chumley went in for a punch, but Crowler was able to keep the fat Slifer at bay using his sword. Chumley zipped around, looking for an opening in Crowler's defenses, but found none. He was tired now, wheezing and panting like a dog.

"Come on Chumley, I expected more. You're barely even making this a fight!" Inwardly, Crowler was far more impressed with Chumley's abilities than he let on, but he wanted to challenge Chumley above all else, and praising him would not do that.

Crowler let loose a meteoric punch, the iron golem swinging at Chumley so hard, the boy made a crater in the arena floor below. "Not good!" Atticus grit his teeth, and everyone was inclined to agree with him. Chumley had no more energy reserves, they all could sense it. Things were looking grim as Crowler descended to the ground.

"Give up, Chumley. You cannot win this fight. Just stay down, and you'll be OK. Do you hear me? Just stay down."

However, Chumley slowly, but surely, struggled to his feet.

"Dumb kid should've stayed in that crater." Kaiba grumbled.

"I said, stay down!" Crowler let loose another punch, connecting dead on with Chumley, the golem's fist burying itself into the ground. "Chumley!" The spectators all shouted.

"That's enough, Crowler! This fight is over!" Zane commanded. Crowler's normally haughty face was slightly marred with what could have been regret. "Yes, Zane, I suppose you're right."

However, at that moment, the mechanical fist of Crowler's shikai was being raised into the air, Chumley holding the heavy weight above his head. "This fight…is not over!" Chumley grunted, to the shock of everyone in the arena, Kaiba included.

"Anyone can win a fight…when the odds are easy! It's when the going's tough…when there seems to be no chance of winning…that's when it really counts! That's what I have learned over the course of this past year. I used to quit at everything, saying that it was impossible, saying that I was too weak, too fat, too stupid. I was a fool! Nothing is impossible, and I'm going to prove that today! You might be more powerful than me, but if you stand in the way of my dream, then I will succeed!" Chumley was covered in blood and bruises, and he had a slight limp. However, his aura flared even brighter than it did before.

The spectators were amazed, Syrus almost brought to tears by the impassioned speech. "Chumley would've never said that a year ago. He's really changed for the better." Bastion had an uncharacteristically wide smile on his face. "He's incredible…" even Alexis was moved by Chumley's words.

Kaiba smirked. "Wise words, kid."

Crowler entered into a fighting stance. "I see now that you deserve the respect of a fellow warrior, Chumley."

Chumley and Crowler rushed at each other, Chumley dodging Crowler's sword strikes with grace. "Take this! **Sokotsu** (Double Bone)!" Chumley landed a two-fisted body blow on Crowler, sending the Obelisk Blue head flying. Chumley flew after, landing one more punch to Crowler's face. Crowler howled in pain, clutching his face.

Chumley yelled, powering up to his absolute limit. _"That's it, come on Chumley! You can do this!"_ he said to psyche himself up. Crowler got to his feet, and ran towards Chumley. _"Steady now, steady as she goes! This one's for Jaden and Syrus!"_

Chumley charged a blue ball of energy between his clasped hands. "Hado #33, Sokatsui!" He yelled, launching the kido fireball directly at the advancing Crowler.

Crowler frowned. "Bakudo #81, Danku." The blue orb exploded against an invisible wall, shielding him from the blast completely.

Chumley collapsed onto the ground, passing out. His will burned on, but his body was unable to continue. Crowler sheathed his Zanpakuto. "Impressive. But it wasn't enough in the end, Chumley." Crowler was moderately injured, but he was far from spent, not even mentioning that he had not used his Bankai in the fight.

"He needs medical attention, now!" Crowler barked. Bastion quickly made his way down to the arena floor.

"His injuries aren't life-threatening. The blunt force trauma was immense, however." Bastion's hands glowed green briefly, before a haze of jade-colored energy settled over Chumley's limp frame.

"No! Now Chumley won't get his dream job!" Syrus wailed.

Jaden looked very angry. "Crowler, you're starting to piss me off!"

Alexis was frowning, glaring at Crowler and Sheppard, as was Atticus. Zane and Chazz were silent, but it was clear that they were none too pleased either.

Chumley came to in a few minutes, completely healed by Bastion's kido. "Did I win?" Chumley asked woozily as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, old bean. You put up a great fight, but Crowler was able to perservere."

"No…but I tried my best…I guess I just wasn't good enough…" Chumley looked devastated. Crowler walked over to the young Slifer. He held out his hand for Chumley to take, a smile on his face.

"It was a good fight, Chumley. You've proved your worth as a fighter and as a man. It would be remiss of me to turn you away after how you fought today. You have passed your combat examination, and you have my best wishes in whatever field of employment you pursue."

Chumley had begun to tear up, a watery smile gracing his features. The spectators' anger turned to joy, great relief washing over all of their faces. "Good job, Chumley." Sheppard said with pride.

"Yes, it was a good battle. Your will impressed me, Chumley." Kaiba stepped out from the shadows, surprising everyone in the room. "I saw the entire battle. Why, I haven't seen anyone make such impressive speeches in the middle of a fight since Yugi Moto himself."

"Mr. Kaiba, why did you hide from us?" Crowler asked quizzically.

"I know that my presence is intimidating; I wanted you and Chumley to fight at your best. I wasn't disappointed. Chumley Huffington, starting next Monday, you'll be a promotional artist for Kaiba Corp." was all Kaiba said.

Chumley was ecstatic. "Thank you so much, sir! I won't let you down!" Chumley said with jubilance.

"Of course not. Here's my card, your office location should be printed on it. I'll see you later, Mr. Huffington." Kaiba then turned to leave.

"Hey, Kaiba!" Jaden hollered.

"You fool! Do you want us all to die!" Sheppard immediately screamed at Jaden.

Kaiba's expression soured. "Which one of you had the nerve to address me like that?" He said in a dangerously low voice.

"Me!" Jaden pointed to himself. "I just wanted to say, thanks for giving Chumley a chance. He's a good guy, and he'll make you proud." Jaden proclaimed audaciously. Everyone in the room held their breath.

Jaden and Kaiba stared at each other for a long moment, before Kaiba closed his eyes and chuckled. "You remind me of Yugi too. Kids these days, I swear…" Kaiba left the arena, laughing all the while.

"Wow, Jaden, I can't believe you just talked to Kaiba like that!" Alexis gaped. Zane looked at Jaden significantly. "Whatever, I just wanted to give him my thanks, that's all. Anyways, congratulations on your new job, Chum!" Jaden gave Chumley a quick hug, smiling all the while. "Yeah, you did great, Chumley!" Syrus squeaked.

"Aren't you guys sad? I won't be here anymore, I've got to move to Domino City by Monday. I won't be able to see you guys very often anymore." Chumley said softly.

"You said it yourself; you said that you were going to follow your dream no matter what. Don't have any regrets, Chumley." Zane said matter-of-factly.

"Don't be sad; we'll always keep in touch." Bastion smiled.

"We'll always be with you, Chumley. We love you!" Alexis said sweetly.

"Ugh, this is too sappy for me." Chazz grunted, but he flashed Chumley a quick grin all the same.

"Best of luck, bro!" Atticus waved.

Chumley took a deep breath. "I've finally done it. I made it."

A few days later, Chumley was boarding the plane that would take him to his new life in Domino City. He was wearing a blue suit, his Zanpakuto placed in a sheath at his hip. His friends, as well as Crowler and Sheppard, had come to see him off. Jaden felt a bittersweet sensation when he saw the plane leave the island, watching it depart until he could no longer see it. Seeing one of the first friends he had made at Duel Academy leave on that plane was a memory that would be etched into Jaden's mind forever.

**A/N**

**Greetings, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the twentieth chapter of Kids With Swords!**

**Chumley finally got his moment to shine, and I don't think anyone expected him to be a boxing speed-demon like he was in this chapter! I really liked the dynamic he brought to the cast, and if I weren't following canon, I might keep him around. Alas, this is his departure from the story. How do you think I handled Chumley's character?**

**A few changes I made to canon here will probably not affect the Kids With Swords plot, but it would affect the overall plot of this AU. I had Kaiba hire Chumley instead of Pegasus because I am following manga continuity where Pegasus was killed by Bakura after Duelist Kingdom. It hardly matters either way, and I also wanted Kaiba to make a cameo.**

**I will probably never write the original Yu-Gi-Oh series in this style, so a quick rundown of Kaiba's character is in order. He will probably not fight in this fic, but I just figured some of you might be curious. Kaiba is obviously the second-strongest in the entire world, and if he were so inclined, he could've defeated every single one of the Hollows at once on his own. If he and Jaden at this point were to fight, he would mow down Jaden in a few seconds without the need of any kido or Zanpakuto abilities.**

**Kaiba is a kido master, able to perform kido up to #95, and he is also a master swordsman, although he did not attain Bankai until before the Battle City saga. I don't believe I could do his Zanpakuto justice if I described it. Whatever you, the reader, could imagine would be better.**

**After the Orichalcos arc, Kaiba stole the Philosopher's Stone from Dartz and kept it for himself, although since he does not have Atlantean blood, the stone will not work for him. To this day, he has an entire R&amp;D division researching the stone and its properties while it is stored at Duel Academy.**

**That's a short summary of Kaiba and how he affects this fic. Anyways, next chapter will be the finale for season 1, featuring Jaden's rematch with Zane. I'll see you all one last time next Saturday!**


	21. good morning

_"Pain is temporary; it may last for a minute, or an hour, or a week, or even a year. But eventually, it will subside, and something else will take its place. For those who quit, however, pain lasts forever."_

The time had soon come for Jaden and Syrus to begin their packing their bags as well, although their departure from the academy would not permanent, like Chumley's. Syrus was despondent during the last week of school, negative energy rolling off of him in waves. Jaden refused to be sad, at least on the outside. The fact is, he was a little sad that school was over for the time being. He loved and appreciated Duel Academy, for all of its quirks and flaws. He had never treasured anyone else in his life quite like the friends he had made at the academy. Between the fight against Banner and Chumley's new job at Kaiba Corp, Jaden distinctly felt a portion of his inner paradigm had changed, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it. Part of him wanted these halcyon days to last forever, but he knew they wouldn't.

For another student on the island, more drastic change was going underway. Zane Truesdale was sprawled on his bed, watching the island's characteristically beautiful sunset. Only three days remained until he graduated from Duel Academy. Zane had experienced many new thoughts, feelings, and sensations over the course of his high school career, but in many ways, he felt like he hadn't changed at all. He had never lost a fight, and he never had any difficulties in his studies, or in any other area of his life. He seemingly had everything squared away, his life ruthlessly compartmentalized into secure little boxes. After school, he was to join the International Pro Fighting Circuit, where he would battle against the greatest fighters the world had to offer. But Zane still felt he had one last piece of unfinished business at the school.

His life lacked excitement, because it lacked risk. Failure was never a possibility for Zane. What he had was great, but Zane had always a craved a little of the crazy thrill that Jaden seemed to be feeling all the time. He admired the freshman for living so audaciously. He played the game of life differently than Zane did, and Zane respected Jaden much more than he let on. Zane suddenly sat up from his bed.

"I want to understand you, Jaden. I think it's time I finally gave you a rematch."

Zane walked over to the Slifer Red dorm, an unfamiliar route for him, as he had never been there before. Jaden and Syrus were finishing up packing, their suitcases nearly full. They did not expect a knocking on the door, and they certainly did not expect to see Zane standing outside of their room. The stoic Obelisk looked extremely out of place in the dirty, homely bedroom with his crisp Obelisk Blue coat.

"Wow, Zane, you're the last person I expected to swing by. What's up?" Jaden said casually.

Syrus was much less calm. "Big Bro, what are you doing here?" He said.

"Relax, Syrus. I merely wanted to ask Jaden a question." Zane said quietly. Jaden immediately felt the atmosphere in the room tense, the mounting excitement he was feeling completely at odds with the chilled-out Academy grounds. Orange sunlight shone through the dorm window, dust catching the light.

"Oh yeah? Do you want to invite to one of your fancy Obelisk luncheons?" Jaden asked.

"Not quite. Jaden, I would be honored if you would deign to fight me, as the last opponent I will ever face as a student of this academy. This school has been a great experience for me, and I'm sure it has been so far for you as well. It would be a great honor for the school if we could battle on the final day of the semester. If you agree, that is." Zane stated calmly. Syrus' eyes were as wide as dinner plates, his mouth slightly hanging open.

Jaden grinned. "Yeah, man! Let's do this! I'm gonna beat you this time!" He smiled.

Zane smirked. "I am glad that you've agreed to this, Jaden. I look forward to our battle." He turned to leave. "I've never been to this dorm, you know. It's a good fit for you kids." With that, Zane flash stepped from the Slifer dorm.

Syrus slowly turned to face Jaden. "Dude! Zane just challenged you!"

"Yeah, I know, Syrus. I was there. By the way, remember that time you tried to swim away from the Academy?" Jaden replied, still facing the door.

'Well…it was one time, man. Why do you ask?" Syrus muttered.

"I'm just remembering when I fought Zane the first time…I can't lose like I did last time. If I lose, I'll be in Zane's shadow forever." Jaden said slowly.

"I get what you're saying, but Zane is the most powerful person on this island. He's fought so many battles." Syrus worried.

"I know. But none of that matters. I can do this, I know I can! I owe it to myself, to Slifers everywhere!" Jaden declared passionately. Jaden suddenly found that he had a ton of energy, so much so that he couldn't even stand still.

"I've gotta go tell everybody about this!" Jaden ran out of the room, dragging Syrus along with him.

"Jaden, you're really going to fight Zane again? I wouldn't rush into this." Alexis said. Jaden found her and Bastion relaxing in the luxurious Obelisk Blue student lounge, reading.

"I am. I've gotta redeem myself from last time, and no time is better than the present, right?" Jaden said lazily, his hands behind his head. Bastion cocked an eyebrow, placing his book onto a coffee table.

"You sure do like to make everything much more exciting than it has to be, don't you?" Bastion shook his head, grinning. "You bet!" Jaden said. "I wouldn't have it any other way." Bastion said.

"Hmph! I would have a better chance at defeating Zane than you!" Chazz said bitterly as he entered the room.

"Actually, Zane challenged me. I figured it would have been rude to refuse him." Jaden said without missing a beat.

Chazz began to speak, but faltered. "Oh. Still, I should have been the one fighting him in his last match, not you!" He immediately rebounded.

"Do you even know Zane? Have you and him ever actually spoken?" Bastion drawled from the couch.

"Well, no, but…but…you guys are stupid!" Chazz pouted.

"I can win this! It would be the perfect ending to the perfect year!" Jaden declared.

Alexis smiled. "How nice of you to say. Plus, you beating Zane would be a nice memory to fall back on while you're enduring three months with Chazz as your housemate."

"Come on, I bet it'll be fun, won't it, Chazz?" Jaden laughed. "Hopefully." Chazz grunted.

The final day of the school semester dawned gloriously. Jaden could barely sleep the previous evening, his nerves and excitement keeping him awake. He woke at six in the morning, even though the match was scheduled at noon. The plane that would be taking the students back to Domino City was set to depart by three that afternoon. Jaden threw on his Slifer Red jacket and khaki pants for what would be the last time in his freshman year. He slipped on his red sneakers and discreetly exited the dorm, so that Syrus would not wake.

Jaden walked around the island, taking in its sights and smells with a far more labored measure than most people believed he was capable of. He flash stepped to the highest point on the island, then trekked down to sea level.

There, he found Atticus Rhodes, performing his usual surfing, talking animatedly to a few ladies about their summer plans. Jaden smiled and waved to his newest friend, leaving his fellow nymphomaniac to his explicit activities.

From there, Jaden strolled over to the Ra Yellow dorm, a building he had never found much cause to visit. He had only been inside once, when he and Syrus were visiting Bastion prior to the genius' promotion to Obelisk Blue. He thought of Bastion, of all the times that the reliably intelligent boy had bailed him out, did his homework, cooked for him, and generally had just been an all-around good friend. Jaden resolved to keep in touch with Bastion over the summer break.

Jaden encountered Chazz, who was still dutifully doing his morning training even on the last day of school. He found Chazz practicing sword katas on a dummy that he appeared to have made himself. Sweat rolled down Chazz's frame, the gaunt young man wearing only a pair of black gym shorts. He relentlessly practiced his technique with raw, natural ferocity. However, he slowed, and eventually stopped, when he saw Jaden approaching.

"Hey, Chazz."

"Yuki. You had better win today. I won't have my victory stolen by that pompous Truesdale." Chazz arrogantly puffed out his chest.

"Hey, Zane's not so bad of a guy. But he's definitely underestimating me. I'll hit him once for you, bud." Jaden winked. "Hmph. Do as you like." Chazz said haughtily, before allowing a small smirk. "Good luck. Do not ease up on him, even for a moment, if it means victory." Jaden waved. "Thanks for the tip."

As Jaden made his way back to the dorm, many students were beginning to wake up and roam the campus. He saw the Slifer Red dorm in his vision, and walked more quickly towards it. On the upper balcony near his dorm room, he saw Alexis, who was watching the waves crash against the shore.

"Hey, you. I wanted to come see you before the match, but Syrus told me you had went out and about earily this morning, so I decided to wait for you here." She greeted him with a lax wave.

"Thanks, Lex!" Jaden said as he leapt up the stairs.

They stood together, conversing with a level of comfort and relaxation that few teenagers of the opposite sex could say they had. "I'll make sure Atticus and I stop by your place sometime this summer." Alexis said while leaning agains the railing. "I'd love that." Jaden said sincerely.

Later that day, Jaden and Zane were at opposite ends of the arena, staring each down. Despite not being an official, school-sanctioned battle, the bleachers were completely full, with Crowler himself presiding as a self-appointed referee. Jaden and Zane even chose entry theme music in the vein of professional wrestling, with Zane picking Breaking Benjamin's "Blow Me Away" and Jaden picking "Worst Behavior" by Drake.

They walked right up to each other, sizing each other up. Zane was nearly five inches taller than Jaden, causing Jaden to crick his neck trying to meet the upperclassman's navy blue eyes. Zane looked down on Jaden, realizing that Jaden's eyes were gold, signaling that he was already in Bankai.

"It's not gonna be like last time!" "I've been waiting for this…Jaden!" Zane and Jaden drew their swords at the same time, shocking the crowd, who expected a more official beginning to the match. Even Crowler was taken aback.

"Well, well, it seems that the match has begun! Zane Truesdale, one of the finest students ever to grace this school, fighting a Slifer! In other news, Hell has frozen over!" Zane and Jaden did not pay attention to Crowler's inane words. The two warriors zipped across the room, their sword clashes creating sonic booms in the air. They flash stepped incessantly, stopping after five straight minutes of aerial combat before landing back on the arena floor.

Jaden lunged at Zane, who flickered away from the slash, appearing behind Jaden. Zane went for a lateral strike, only for Jaden to flash step away. Their Zanpakuto clashed, the tink of steel echoing in the ears of every spectator there.

"Wow, they're really serious right off the bat, huh?" Syrus said in amazement. Syrus, Alexis, Chazz, Bastion, and Atticus were sitting in the best seats in the arena. "I wouldn't be so sure. Still, Jaden is doing much better than last time." Alexis commented.

Jaden burst forward, using wind manipulation to improve his speed. Zane easily sidestepped Jaden's swipe, landing a hard kick to the Slifer's side. Jaden produced a barrage of water balls.

"Suidan!" Jaden launched the aqueous spheres at incredible speeds, beyond the comprehension of most of the audience. Zane wordlessly created a Shakkaho kido to boil the water, creating harmless vapor.

"**Cross of Flame**!" Red-orange fire swirled around Jaden's sword, increasing the range of his blade drastically. He went for a low sweep, Zane leaping into the air with a graceful flip.

Jaden grinned. "Nice!** Kaze Daitoppen**!" (Wind-Slicing Burst) Jaden fired a compressed air cannon from his mouth, catching Zane mid-jump. With a loud clap, Zane went flying into the wall. "Oh no, Zane!" Several of the audience members shouted, Zane's fangirls being the most shrill. Zane emerged from the wrecked wall, his stoic expression seemingly unrankled.

"I feel bad for you, Jaden. It looks like the audience wants me to win." Zane drawled.

"Hey, sometimes I like playing the bad guy!" Jaden grinned.

Zane smirked. "How sporting of you. You should be aware, though, that the villain always loses in the end." The audience was eating up the dialogue, most of them actively cheering for the much more popular Zane. For what it was worth, Jaden's friends were cheering loudly for him, with the exception of Chazz, who remained silent.

"Compose yourself, Jaden. I'm about to begin trying."

"You're lucky you can back up all of your shit-talking." Jaden snarked.

Zane huffed before holding his sealed Zanpakuto in front of him. "**Goro, Raijin no Ken**!" The smell of ozone flooded the arena as lightning crackled around Zane's body, signaling the release of his shikai.

Jaden was on high alert. Zane did not release his shikai against him when they had last fought, not needing it. Jaden had only seen him use it once, in his fight against the Hollow vampiress, Camula. Even then, he was not able to discern it properly, the attack seeming like a flash of light to him. He focused completely on Zane's movements.

"Do not let your guard down, Jaden." Zane said before disappearing in a flash.

Jaden could not see Zane until he was right in front of him. Zane's sword was inches from Jaden's abdomen.

"I see it!" Jaden flash stepped backwards, hoping to gain distance from Zane. However, Zane was right on top of him again. Jaden blocked, but Zane's leverage allowed him to push Jaden back. Jaden activated his Streaking Comet technique, wreathing himself in red aura. With this increase in his power, Jaden was able to keep up with Zane's speed more easily.

"I can see!" Jaden deflected Zane's sword, and they began to exchange blows again.

"No way! Jaden is able to keep up with Zane's shikai!" Atticus shouted.

"How is he doing that?" Chazz hissed. _"Zane is still holding back."_ Alexis thought. Crowler and Sheppard were amazed.

"Why, I haven't seen this level of combat since the Battle City days!" Sheppard exclaimed. "Indeed!" Crowler agreed. Jaden and Zane appeared as red and white streaks in the ring respectively

"Impressive, Jaden. Your skill has progressed incredibly." Zane complimented Jaden, a far cry from the condescending taunts he would give the younger man in their earlier battle.

"You're pretty quick, Zane. I heard about it from Alexis."

"Wait, what?" Zane broke off from Jaden, momentarily confused. "She really said that to you?"

"Yeah dude. She said you're super fast." Zane sweatdropped.

"In what context?" He asked.

"In combat, man. What did you think I meant?" Jaden giggled.

"N-nothing. OK, I'm glad we cleared that up." Zane frowned. Suddenly, Jaden flash stepped behind Zane, poised to strike at the small of his back. Zane flipped over Jaden's lunge, kicking Jaden in the back of the head. The crowd applauded; since they had not heard of Jaden and Zane's most recent dialogue, their blind admiration of the Obelisk senior was intact.

Jaden nearly fell out of the air, losing control of his reiatsu for a moment from the concussive force of the kick. Jaden back-flipped in the air, launching a fireball at Zane, who swatted it away with a swipe of his sword.

"You thought you could get me to drop my guard, but it didn't work." Zane scoffed.

"Don't get defensive; plenty of men have trouble with longetivity." Jaden mocked.

Zane grti his teeth. **"Hado #63, Raikoho!"** A burst of yellow lightning exploded from Zane's outstretched palm.

"Oh shit! I probably shouldn't have pushed that joke that far. **Gouka Mekkakyu!**" A blast of pale yellow fire streamed from Jaden's mouth, matching Zane's lightning bolt. The two blasts met in midair, sending shockwaves across the entire island. Jade flared his red aura, pouring all of his power into the fire. The beam struggle petered out, neither party wanting to expend any more energy.

A smoke cloud hung near the ceiling, dissipating while Jaden and Zane slowly reached the ground. Jaden panted heavily, sweat having completely drenched his clothes. Zane had a few scratches on him, and his eyes were narrowed in focus, but on the whole, he looked unruffled. They ran at each other again, clashing swords with renewed vigor.

At the end of the exchange, Jaden and Zane each were riddled with small cuts. "I can't believe Jaden is fighting on par with Zane!" Syrus cheered.

"Jaden is fighting better than he ever has. His intuition is serving him well, allowing him to keep up with Zane's practiced technique. I must say, this match is a treat to watch!" Bastion said._ "_

_I'd love to share your enthusiasm, Bastion, but Jaden's in trouble. Zane is still a bit more than Jaden can chew."_ Alexis thought. Chazz was watching the match intently, thinking along the same lines as Alexis.

Zane licked blood from his lips, to the delight of his various fangirls in the arena. "Hado-" Zane's kido incantation was cut of by Jaden slamming his sword into Zane's.

"You're not getting any more free chances!" Zane twirled his sword, causing both of their Zanpakuto to go flying away from them. Jaden did not skip a beat, assaulting Zane with a barrage of fiery punches, charring and burning parts of Zane's blood-stained Obelisk uniform.

Zane growled before landing a vicious knee to Jadne's chin, nearly knocking some of the younger boy's teeth out. Zane blasted away Jaden with Sho before charging up his energy. Blue lightning surged around his body. Zane abandoned all restraint, screaming with raw might as he powered up. Jaden's grilled body skid across the arena floor, the boy coughing up blood.

"The kid's a glutton for punishment, I'll give him that." Crowler muttered. The crowd went crazy when Zane began to power up, cheering crazily for him.

"Finish that Slifer slacker off!" They shouted.

"Well, Jaden, unless you want to give the crowd what they want, you had better block this!"

"Hurry up and attack then!" Jaden yelled right back. Zane outstretched his arm, using his left hand to grip his right arm for support as he opened his palm.

"Take this!** Hado #88, Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raiho!" (Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon)**

An enormous beam of blue-purple electrical spirit energy burst from Zane's palm. The beam was wide enough to reach from nearly one end of the arena to the other. The spectators that were directly in the beam's path scattered, causing mass panic in the stands. Jaden's friends, as well as Crowler and Sheppard, were the only ones to stay calmly seated.

Jaden yelled from the bottom of his heart, wind energy coalescing around him as he attempted to repel the high-level kido. The pressurized air was able to keep Zane's blast at bay, but it required all of Jaden's power and more to maintain. "Incredible! I've never seen that kido performed without the incantation!" Bastion hollered, he and the remaining spectators watching the struggle with rapt attention.

Eventually, however, Jaden collapsed to the ground, unable to take the brunt of the blast. Zane quickly dialed it back, not wanting to kill Jaden. Zane sighed in relief. He truly was on the ropes a few times during the battle, which was a new experience for him. He couldn't help but smile wildly as we walked over to Jaden.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Zane Truesdale has defeated Jaden Yuki in his final match as a student of Duel Academy!" Crowler declared through the microphone, to the jubilation of the audience, who had stopped panicking after the struggle was over. They clapped and cheered wildly for bth fighter, although many of them cheered solely for Zane.

Jaden tried to get up, but found that he was incapable of standing. Zane fell down next to Jaden, laughing madly. Hearing the normally cold Zane laugh so companionably soon made Jaden start to chuckle as well, before devolving into a laughing fit. Hilarity took the edge off of his pain, and for a moment, he felt as though he was on top of the world, even though he lost the battle.

"That was an amazing battle, man!" Zane grinned.

"Yeah, it was!" Jaden smiled right back.

"I never imagined I would ever see Zane having so much fun." Atticus placed his hand on his cheek, while Alexis ran down to the arena to heal the two warriors, Bastion accompanying her. Syrus clenched his fist.

"After seeing my two brothers fight, I wanna get strong too!" He said with determination.

Chazz crossed his arms, smirking slightly. "You're not half-bad, Yuki."

Bastion placed a healing kido on Zane, while Alexis did the same to Jaden. She leaned over Jaden, who greeted her with a cocky smirk.

"Hey, you." She said lazily, while her hands healed Jaden's burns.

"I hurt my lip. Can you kiss it?" Jaden asked, half-dazed.

Alexis laughed, made sure no one was watching, then leaned in and pecked Jaden on the lips. "Better now?" She asked with a sultry tone.

"You bet!" Jaden was surprised that she actually kissed him, as that was one of the worst pick-up lines he had ever uttered in her presence. Nevertheless, he wasn't complaining.

He gazed at Alexis for a long moment as he was healed. Jade and Zane sat up at the same time. "Thanks for healing me." Zane thanked Bastion curtly.

"Of course. I know you guys might want to rest a little more, but it's almost time for departure, I believe." Bastion said as he checked his immeasurably expensive watch. "That is correct, students!" Crowler screeched as he and Sheppard descended from the stands. Raising the microphone to his mouth, Crowler spoke to all of the students.

"Attention students! The plane returning to Domino City will be leaving in exactly one hour! If you do not have yourself and your luggage on your designated flight in that time period, you get a three-month, no-expense paid vacation to a beautiful tropical island. So hurry up!" He barked.

"Yeah, yeah, we get it, you asshole." One brave student barked back at Crowler.

Zane smiled, before walking up to Crowler and Sheppard. "Professors, I thank you both for being mentors to me during my time at this academy."

"It was an honor to have you in Obelisk Blue, my boy. You brought honor to the school with your actions and leadership. Best of luck in the Pro Circuit!" Crowler patted Zane on the shoulder. Zane smiled at Crowler, while giving a cold nod to Sheppard. Everyone shook hands with Zane, giving their respects to one of the finest students Duel Academy had ever seen.

Shortly after that, Jaden and his friends boarded the plane that would take them home. Jaden sat next to Bastion and Syrus, just as he did on the plane to the academy almost nine months prior. He greatly enjoyed the ride back home, conversing with them with much more comfort than he did on the last plane ride.

When they touched down at Domino City, Jaden met up with Chazz, Alexis, and Atticus, seeing them all off as they met up with their parents to go home for the summer. As the sun went down, Jaden and Chazz said goodbye to Alexis and Atticus, the last of their friends to leave.

"Keep in touch, you two. And don't spend all of your time training and partying!" Alexis faux-scolded.

"And Jaden, make sure you teach that stick in the mud a few jokes, eh?" Atticus gently ribbed Chazz, who grimaced in return.

"Totally! I'll text you guys sometime! See ya!"Jaden said happily. Atticus and Alexis gave him a goodbye brofist and hug, respectively, before walking off to meet with their parents, where parked at the end of the street.

Jaden walked with Chazz to the center of the bustling Domino square. Chazz gazed around the park, looking at the people who were out enjoying the beautiful summer night. As it was around 8 in the evening, several couples and families were out taking walks.

_"This is…kinda nice, actually."_ Chazz thought.

Jaden and Chazz sat on a bench, waiting for Jaden's parents to pick them up via car. The streetlights were turning on, and soon, a limousine rolled up on the curb. A man with cropped ginger hair rolled down the window, sunglasses obscuring his brown eyes. "Hello, Jaden." The man said crisply.

"Sup, Dad!" Jaden greeted as he and Chazz entered the limousine, their door to summer.

A/N

**Greetings lovely readers, and thanks for reading the 21st chapter of Kids With Swords, and the finale to season 1!**

**I hoped this chapter nailed the ideas that canon went for, specifically the wistfulness of saying goodbye to one's friends at the beginning of summer vacation. Over the course of the year, Jaden has gathered an unlikely group of companions, and their group dynamic has stabilized somewhat at last.**

**And what a battle to end the year with! Jaden has improved drastically, but he is not quite at Zane's level yet. Of course, Zane is pretty OP though. As for the small timeskip here, Jaden and Chazz will be training and living together at Jaden's home. I figured that since canon never elaborated what the characters did on their summer breaks, I might as well expand on it.**

**That said though, I have written a lot of this story lately. The first season here is nearly 128k words, and I've written all that in the last six months, as well as work on my other stories. I'm going to take a long break from this epic story for a while so that I don't get tired of it. In the meantime, I beseech you readers to help get the word out on this story. Despite all the effort I've put in, I can't help but feel as though there is no one reading. Feedback is always appreciated. You don't have to review or anything, but it does help me feel as if what I'm doing is worthwhile.**

**I'll see you again sometime, and thanks again for reading Kids With Swords!**


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